With less than a week to go before Christmas, Salford Foodbank has set itself a rather unique donations target this year.
Salford Foodbank – part of the Freedom Central Manchester charity, and supported by local churches and the community to “work together towards stopping hunger in the local area” – is aiming to raise a whopping 1.5 tonnes of food donations for families in need across the region.
If you need something to put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent in weight of three whole camels.
And thanks to the kindness of local residents – including Keith Walker from Boothstown, who collected a staggering 600kg of donations from generous neighbours, friends and family – the foodbank has now already received over 1000kg of donations – or almost two camels.
Salford Foodbank – which is also part of The Trussell Trust’s network of more than 1,200 foodbank centres working to tackle food poverty and hunger across the UK – has distributed a record number of food parcels throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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However, with demand set to increase over Christmas and into the new year, they have vowed to keep the momentum going and reach the target.
In a bid to help with this mission, MediaCityUK-based design agency Carbon Creative has transformed a deluxe shed at the popular Box on the Docks open-air gallery and immersive art trail into a striking ‘Salford Foodbank Giftbox’ collection point.
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Visitors to the trail and passers-by are being asked to drop off an item such as instant coffee, boil-in-a-bag rice and pasta, jars of jam and sauces, seasonal chocolate boxes, and toilet roll.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJDqFoXgorP/
If you are not able to visit MediaCityUK though, but still wish to help Salford Foodbank “over the hump” of its donation goal, several community donation points have also been set up across Salford to support the campaign, including Moorside High School.
The ‘mini’ food giftbox locations are clearly marked its website, and is also filled with information, updated lists of items Salford Foodbank needs, and ways you can get involved.
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Steve Mills – Assistant Headteacher at Moorside High School – said pupils have filled four wheelie bins full of food to donate to the appeal.
Moorside High School
Mr Mills said: “As soon as we mentioned the appeal our students, their families and staff were eager to help.
“We had planned to use crates but had so many donations we had to borrow wheelie bins from Salford City Council to hold them all. I’m overwhelmed by their kindness, generosity and determination to make Christmas that little bit easier for people in need this year.
“We place great importance on community spirit as a school and they have done themselves and Salford proud.”
Iain Wight from Salford Foodbank added: “This year has seen an outpouring of local generosity, with communities coming together, such as Moorside School, MediaCityUK and through people like Keith who want to play their part in helping to support those who may be struggling.
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“We have been blown away by people’s kindness and we can’t thank everyone enough – it means we can support even more families through unprecedented times of hardship.”
You can find more information about donations via the Salford Foodbank website here.
Trending
The best cheese tasting party in the North is BACK at a new Manchester venue
Danny Jones
That’s right, one of the biggest and best cheese tasting nights in the entire land is returning to Greater Manchester at a brand new city centre venue.
Not to be over-the-top, but this isn’t just another experience sampling possibly the greatest foodstuff on Earth, it’s a fully-fledged cheese-lovers’ party.
Some of you may have come across Homage2Fromage before, but for anyone unaware of the Yorkshire-born event, it started out as a monthly cheese tasting club and went on to expand across the dairy-adoring North at large.
Relaunching here in Manchester for 2026, all you lactose-intolerant people better watch, because Home2Fromage is coming back with a vengeance and heading to the Northern Quarter. Here’s how it went down the last time we visited one in Leeds:
Leeds, Sheffield, Harrogate, Manchester and who knows where else next.
Posting up in a relatively recent addition to NQ‘s bar and restaurant scene, The Faraday – a pub on Lever St that replaces the old Seven Sins back in October – it looks set to be an ideal venue for the regular evening series.
Homage2Fromage will be making its Manc return this month, and better still, they’re holding a cheeky little giveaway to sweeten the pot.
As in the deal, we mean – not the inevitable bowls full of olives, chutney, oil and various other dips…
To welcome this celebration of all things cheese coming back to Manchester city centre, they’re giving away a bunch of free tickets: 20 pairs in total.
Worth over £50 a piece for each twin set of tickets, you’d be a fool not to at least throw your hat in the ring for this one.
As you can see, the competition closes this Thursday, 19 February, ahead of the full relaunch party next week (Wed, 25 Feb), and all you have to do to enter is fill out this super quick survey.
It really is as simple as that; a few quick words are all that stand between you and a potential mountain of cheese and more.
You can find all you need to know about the event right HERE, and in case you haven’t popped into The Faraday just yet, see more down below.
It’s still somewhat early days, but we can see ourselves spending a fair bit of time in this up-and-coming Manchester watering hole, especially when there’s cheese nights involved.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Publicity pictures (supplied)
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Mancs start crowdfunder for Mani mural in honour of late, great, local music legend
Danny Jones
A group of Manchester artists, audiophiles and residents have started a fundraiser to create a new mural in memory of the late, great local music legend, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield.
Following The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bass player’s passing last year, the city and Greater Manchester as a whole have been finding ways to honour the Manc musician ever since.
Be it lining his funeral cortege from his home in Heaton Moor, Stockport, or peers like The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess penning heartfelt tributes, anyone and everyone has found their own way of paying their respects in the months since.
Taking the sustained sentiment even further, local art collective GRIT Studios is now planning to erect a massive mural in his memory.
We’re doing a massive mural for Manchester’s most loved son – Mani. All profits to @maggiesmanc a charity that was close to his heart.
Writing on the fundraising page’s description, GRIT say: “Inspired by Ian Brown’s eulogy to Mani at Manchester Cathedral, a major community crowdfunder is being launched to create a large-scale mural honouring the beloved bassist of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream and to raise funds for Maggie’s Manchester.
“The mural, which will be created in Failsworth, where young Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield grew up, has been initiated by the team at GRIT Studios following an overwhelming outpouring of love from fans across Greater Manchester and beyond.
“Mani’s brother, Greg Mounfield, is supporting this campaign and has facilitated a prominent, large wall space for the mural and chosen the design.
They go on to to explan that the piece “will be painted by the renowned artist Pic.One.Art, whose recent portrait of Noel and Liam Gallagher outside the iconic Sifters Records in Burnage became an instant landmark and received widespread attention.”
Speaking of Brown’s now viral speech, it still remains one of the most touching bits of public observance and shared mourning this city has ever seen – with a healthy little dose of Northern levity, of course.
@the.manc Yesterday, Manchester laid one of the city's greatest music legends, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, to rest at Manchester Cathedral. 🍋 Fellow band member and life-long friend Ian Brown read out a speech as hundreds gathered outside the cathedral to pay their respects to The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist. Mani will be missed by many, and we send love to all his family and friends. ❤️ #manchester#mani#ianbrown#thestoneroses#stoneroses♬ original sound – The Manc
“Since Mani passed away in November, countless fans have expressed a desire to see a tribute in the place that shaped him in North Manchester”, they continue.
“GRIT Studios, the not-for-profit art studios organisation, has stepped forward to organise a community-led, crowdfunded project that celebrates Mani’s life, music and spirit.
“It will not only fund the creation of the mural, but all profits will go to Maggie’s Manchester, which was close to Mani and his wife Imelda’s hearts during her cancer treatment and for whom they fundraised.
With a target of £10,000 set and more than £6k already raised in just a matter of days, it looks to be a matter of when, not if, we’ll see Mani immortalised in paint, on brick and with typical Manc grit over in the borough of Oldham.
For anyone who wishes to contribute to the fast-growing Mani mural crowdfunder, you can do so HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
21st December 2020 
