The local lads behind a newly-founded initiative to “make sure the homeless of Manchester don’t go hungry” have launched a fundraiser to help with their mission of becoming a registered charity.
Cold Hands Warm Heart – the brainchild of co-founders Jamie Lilley, 32, and Daniel Goodier, 30 – was set up as the harsh winter temperatures plummeted across the region around two months ago to make sure that no rough sleepers in Manchester are going hungry or without the basic essentials needed to make it through, and with the aim of offering a personal touch and meeting needs that other organisations in the area do not currently offer.
The pair started the organisation after hearing the tragic story of a 25-year-old man who sadly died earlier this year while sleeping rough in the doorway of an M&S in Manchester city centre.
“[Daniel] called me and said we need to do something to help.” Jamie told The Manc.
They decided to start with a simple, but impactful gesture, and so the very next night, Jamie, Daniel and their friend, Michael Donoghue, all chipped in £30 and went to a local Middleton takeaway to buy some pizzas to hand out to the homeless across the city centre.
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Jamie continued: “We ended up with 23 boxes of pizzas to go and hand out, and we split these in half and they went within 15 minutes of us being there”.
“There must have been around fifty to sixty people sleeping rough [on Market Street]”.
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After identifying that there was more the rough sleepers were in need of, the lads spoke to them and asked what exactly they required, with Jamie adding: “They asked us for pot noodles, coffee, boxers, sanitary towels, gloves, scarfs, sleeping bags, hand-warmers and trainers, and we just knew we couldn’t just walk away, so Daniel and I went back again two days later after collecting donations of [those items].
“Once again though, these items lasted no more that 15 minutes, so we vowed to do more”.
Jamie Lilley
This is when the pair decided to call on the brilliant people of Greater Manchester for support.
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Jamie continued: “We made a page on Facebook, and we now have almost 1,500 people following us within a month [and we are] getting a reach of over 40,000 within the last 28 days too.
“We now have a team of 18 volunteers”.
And from original Middleton-based takeaway Ian Donatello’s – which has donated 15 pizzas each the lads go out and has even agreed to pay for a storage unit to store all the products bought – to a number of local small businesses and even “some big investors such as McVities, Howden’s and Chubb”, Jamie and Daniel have been blown away by the “amazing support” from the local community so far.
But there’s a significant hurdle they need to get over to be able to expand further.
Jamie said: “Nearly every company I’ve spoken to wants to help… but once I get five minutes into the call, they ask for my charity number, which at the moment we do not have, and that’s why we’re trying to raise the funds to become a charity”.
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To become a registered charity, the pair need to show that they can earn £5,000 in a year period to prove that they are a fundraising organisation, and so, they have since set up a JustGiving page in an attempt to hit that target.
Over 100 people have already donated to the fundraiser to clock up £2,400 and counting.
“I feel like we’ve got a treasure chest full of gold but no key to open it [and] now the only way we can open that treasure chest would be to get that charity number and once we do, we will then be able to use the funding to help bring so much more”.
Jamie Lilley
Jamie Lilley
Word of the vital work being carried out by Cold Hands Warm Heart has spread far beyond Manchester too, and it’s given Jamie and Daniel a clear vision for the future of the initiative.
“I feel the main goal that we are working towards is just to try and feed as many as we can,” Jamie added.
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“We’ve already had some interest from people in Dublin and in London who are wanting to do the same and use our organisation name, so not only would Cold Hands Warm Heart be feeding the homeless of Manchester, we would also be feeding the homeless of Dublin and London.
“Eventually, will be looking at getting more teams in place to cover the likes of Liverpool, Birmingham Nottingham and all over the UK”.
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If you would like to support Cold Hands Warm Heart for the future, and join in Jamie and Daniel’s fight to becoming a registered charity, all donations can be made via the JustGiving page here.
Every penny counts.
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New survey reveals the UK’s best and worst motorway service stations
Emily Sergeant
A new survey has revealed the best and worst motorway service stations in the UK.
While we don’t usually visit them for fun, many Brits will agree that a crucial part of any long-distance journey is planning out the motorway services stations to stop off at along the way.
But out of all the service stations that are dotted across the country, which one is rated as the best? And which is the worst?
Well, with a new year now here, leading consumer choice company, Which?, recruited 2,719 people to rate a total of 70 UK service stations in a number of categories – including the range and quality of shops and food outlets, prices, convenience, parking, accessibility, cleanliness, and more.
The customer score for each service station combines the overall satisfaction and likelihood of recommending.
Gloucester Services has been named the UK’s best service station / Credit: Gloucester Services
Topping the list as the best motorway service station in the UK is Gloucester Services, between junctions 11A and 12 on the M5, which received a whopping four out of five stars for all categories – with a customer score of 86%.
One visitor said it was “as far from a typical motorway stop as you can imagine”, with other customers praising its “fabulous” farm shop selling home-cooked meals and local produce.
At the other end of the scale though is the Moto-owned Bridgwater Services in Somerset, which ranked the worst in Britain by Which? after it was awarded just one star out of five for all categories analysed and received an overall customer score of just 32%.
Recent visitors described the venue as “dirty” and “depressing”, and others complained of a urine smell and toilet paper strewn on the floor, while another claimed it “should be demolished”.
Tebay Services has taken the second spot on the list of the UK’s best / Credit: Tebay Services
Top 5 best motorway services in the UK
Gloucester Services (86%)
Tebay Services (83%)
Cairn Lodge Services (69%)
Norton Canes Services (65%)
Wetherby Services (61%)
Top 5 worst motorway services in the UK
Bridgwater Services (32%)
Gordano Services (40%)
Newport Pagnell Services (41%)
Sandbach Services (42%)
Keele Services (42%)
Moto’s Bridgewater Services was named the worst UK service station / Credit: Which?
Speaking on the unveiling of best and worst UK service stations, Rory Boland, Editor of Magazine Which? Travel, said: “The results of our survey show that it pays to plan ahead to avoid some of the UK’s worst motorway services.
“It could be the difference between a home-cooked meal in peaceful surroundings or crowded queues in downright dirty facilities.
“Whether you’re zipping down the M5 towards the beaches on the south-west coast, or up the M6 towards the Scottish border, make sure your journey isn’t spoiled by a stop at a shoddy service station.”
Featured Image – Gloucester Services
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Marcus Rashford’s representation are reportedly in Italy to discuss a potential loan move
Danny Jones
Marcus Rashford’s representatives are reportedly in Italy to discuss the possibility of a loan move for the Manchester United player.
The Wythenshawe winger has been left out of the matchday squad for five of Man United’s last six games, including the derby against rivals Liverpool this past weekend (in which he has scored multiple times), as head coach Rúben Amorim continues to assess his squad.
As a result of Rashford‘s absence, talk of a potential move away from his boyhood club has once again ramped up now the January transfer window is open, though there has been speculation surrounding his future at the club prior to his recent omission.
Although there are several clubs thought to be monitoring the Rashford situation at Old Trafford, it looks as though AC Milan is one of those leading the chase for the 27-year-old via a loan deal.
Marcus Rashford’s representatives hold talks in Italy with AC Milan over January loan move. Several clubs interested, including Borussia Dortmund + Juventus.
Detailed in an article by journalist Laurie Whitwell, along with transfer expert David Ornstein and The Athletic‘s resident Serie A writer James Horncastle, the red half of Milan is one of the teams most interested in trying to sign Rashford as early as this month.
According to the piece, the number ten’s brother and agent Dwaine Maynard flew to Milan on Tuesday to discuss the prospect of a transfer, though talks are still said to be in the “preliminary stage”.
It’s unclear whether an option to buy is on the table but it is claimed has already turned down offers from Saudi Arabia.
This comes after Rashford gave the first real indication that a move away, be it on loan or permanently, and “a new challenge” might be on the cards in an extended interview with football writer Henry Winter.
However, the Italian side has a pretty healthy selection of players in Rashford’s position, not least of all their pacey and often prolific forward, Rafael Leão, who is also considered one of the most in-demand attackers even despite some injury setbacks upsetting his rhythm of late.
With that in mind, Whitwell goes on to explain that as well as PSG’s well-publicised and long-standing interest in the United and England star – though he was left out of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad – other European suitors include fellow Italian team Juventus and German outfit Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund famously took Jadon Sancho back on loan for the remainder of the 23/24 season when the youngster ended up in similar ousted circumstances when Erik ten Hag was still in charge.
Sky in Germany are reporting Marcus Rashford is being considered by Borussia Dortmund as a potential forward option this month on loan 🚨 pic.twitter.com/r8MrzvbAnT
If rumours are to be believed, even Premier League rivals Arsenal are supposedly ‘keeping an eye on’ Rashford, especially since the United are understood to be facing financial pressures regarding PSR (profit and sustainability rules) and FFP (financial fair play).
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, his INEOS board and the manager himself have all made it clear that player sales would need to be made to even consider adding new names to the squad.
At the club since the age of seven, the Red Devils is all Rashford has ever known and despite a stunning breakthrough campaign as a teenager and several strong years as a first-team talisman since, including his best-ever statistical season (30 goals, nine assists) in 2022/23, his performances have been under fire in more recent times.
Considered a somewhat streaky player who tends to enjoy impressive ‘purple patches’ when he is in form, there’s no question as to his talent and natural ability when at the top of his game, but Amorim evidently isn’t 100% happy with his level of application at present.
That being said, the United boss did issue Rashford with a rallying cry of sorts, declaring this new project as “the biggest challenge” of all and insisting that he wants nothing more than to see the Manc sporting star back to his best.
On the other hand, football fans will have already seen how moves to Italy have benefitted former MUFC players like a currently red-hot Scott McTominay and Napoli teammate Romelu Lukaku, who returned to Inter Milan back in 2022 – who Matteo Darmian also joined to become a title-winner – before switching to once again find his goalscoring boots with the league leaders.
What do you think, Reds – would a loan move to Italy suit Rashford right now? Alternatively, would you rather him stay and fight for his place or sell him permanently?
Emily Sergeant -
8th March 2021 
