Manchester will be launched into a year-long campaign to be recognised by UNICEF as a ‘Child Friendly City’ next year.
The 2022: Our Year campaign hopes to create a legacy for children and young people living here through events, support and opportunities.
Manchester’s young people have spent more than 12 months of their formative years in lockdown or under some sort of Covid restrictions.
Manchester City Council is now hoping to help them reclaim their futures.
Ambassadors of the 2022: Our Year campaign include Coronation Street’s Cath Tyldesley, Night Time Economy Adviser and Parklife boss Sacha Lord, hospitality entrepreneur Aaron Mellor, radio presenter Chris Hawkins, and LGBTQ+ campaigner Carl Austin Behan OBE.
ADVERTISEMENT
The ambassadors are respected local figures and innovators from a range of industries and backgrounds.
They have pledged to support the campaign with experience, time and talent, taking part in events, supporting fundraising projects, and providing work experience and mentoring.
ADVERTISEMENT
The group of ambassadors, which also includes Forever Unique founder Seema Malhotra, actress Brooke Vincent, and professional footballer Kean Bryan, will be involved in TEDx-style talks, a summer sports festival and a career event.
The year-long 2022: Our Year campaign is being spearheaded by chief executive Joanne Roney OBE, leader elect Bev Craig, and councillor Garry Bridges, who will lay the foundations to make a lasting, positive difference for the city’s next generation.
Leader elect of Manchester City Council Bev Craig said: “Covid-19 has laid bare the inequalities that are deep rooted in our society.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Around a third of Manchester’s children are currently growing up in poverty and our young people have felt the brunt of the impact of the pandemic – missing vital education and left isolated from their friends.
“A formative time in their lives has been cruelly taken away from them. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds have been hit even harder.
“We are a city with a powerful social conscience and 2022: Our Year is about closing the gap between the haves and have-nots.
“We cannot shy away from the challenges that face our city and it is our responsibility to do everything we can to ensure that everyone in this city can share its success.
“This work won’t happen overnight, but the aim of this journey is to show our young people that they can succeed. We want to inspire them to think big, believe in their own potential and – ultimately – we want Manchester to be the very best city a young person can grow up in.”
ADVERTISEMENT
2022: Our Year will kick-start a two-year accreditation process to be recognised by UNICEF as a Child Friendly City.
To achieve the status, a place must demonstrate that the voices, needs, priorities and rights are part of public policies and decisions.
Manchester City Council will also create sponsorship opportunities for businesses, where companies can support funds like the Our Year Activities Fund (providing meals and activities during school holidays) and the Our Year Legacy Fund (day-to-day support for vulnerable children’s basic needs).
Councillor Garry Bridges, executive member for children and schools at Manchester City Council, said: “The last couple of years have been hard for children and young people – particularly in Manchester, where more face-to-face teaching has been missed than anywhere else in the country.
“Despite the challenges, our young people have shown dedication and resilience throughout and now it’s time for our city to stand up for their futures.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Over the last few months we have gone out and listened to young people in every part of the city – they have told us what matters to them, and we now need to give young people the opportunities they want and deserve.
“We’re calling 2022 a ‘year of opportunity’ – but this 12 months is just a kick-start. We want this commitment to be long-lasting and one more thing that sets Manchester apart -with children and young people at the heart of everything we do.”
Joanne Roney OBE, chief executive of Manchester City Council, explained: “2022 will be dedicated to our young people. We will create a year of opportunities, experiences and activities that will inspire, engage and support young people in this city. To do this we need help.
“To meet our ambition to create a true and lasting legacy, which will help young people in this city to achieve their dreams, we need to work together. We the public and private sector to work in partnership, pulling in the same direction to put young people at the heart of the city’s future.
“We would love to hear from businesses who share this ambition. Let’s make 2022 the turning point for young people in Manchester.”
Featured image: Unsplash
Manchester
2024 Manchester Marathon raises £29 million for local economy and over £3.7m for charity
Danny Jones
Just under a fortnight on from the 2024 Manchester Marathon and the numbers are finally, with the annual race generating nearly £30 million for the local economy and raising over £3.7m for charity.
This year’s Adidas Manchester Marathon saw record numbers of runners and spectators as over 30,000 took part in the popular race, up by roughly 6,000 from 2023, and more than 125k turned up to line the streets of Greater Manchester.
As a result, these huge crowds spent upwards of £29.2 million at business around the city centre and around the 10 boroughs last weekend, serving as one of the most significant contributions to the local economy on the annual calendar.
Not only was this an approximately £8m increase on last year’s tally but, most importantly, a sizeable chunk of that went straight into both regional and national charities.
Beyond the boost to local vendors, the hospitality sector and retail businesses, over £3.7 million were allocated to charities such as Alzheimer’s Charity, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and The Christie.
Over £32,000 was also raised for the Trafford Active Fund, with £1 from every paid entry to the Adidas Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half donated directly to the initiative that benefits local sports clubs and organisations through Trafford Council.
Better still, with City of Trees selected as the chosen ‘Green Runner’ charity, the eco-friendly drive saw roughly 7% of participants opt out of receiving either a finisher t-shirt, medal or both.
The money saved in production goes towards maintaining woodlands and wildlife across Greater Manchester.
This year’s Manchester Marathon also helped produce some of the highest number of passengers on public transport in the city’s history, with a over 175,000 journeys made on Metrolink alone – the highest number of journeys ever recorded on a single day.
This was a 20% increaseon 2023’s race day (145k), spotlighting how the event continues to be more environmentally conscious as years go by.
With the 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon confirmed to be taking place on Sunday, 27 April next year – and over 12,000 places already sold – the city can already look forward to reaping the economic and social benefits of hosting one of Europe’s largest, flattest, friendliest and most-loved marathons.
Featured Images — Adidas Manchester Marathon/The Manc Group
Manchester
Manchester firefighter surprises partner with proposal during new recruits parade
Danny Jones
We’re a sucker for a wholesome little video as we know you are, which is exactly why we thought of you lot when we came across this video of a newly graduated Manchester firefighter surprising his partner with a heartwarming proposal.
Just the kind of heartwarming that usually sets us off after a long week at work.
The clip shared by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) on Thursday, 25 April, shows Manc fireman James popping the question to his girlfriend sat unassumingly in the audience at a recent passing out ceremony.
Pass out ceremonies are when trainees go from recruits to fully qualified firefighters after completing their intensive operational training. It’s a long-standing tradition in the emergency services where friends and family gather to celebrate their achievements – it’s almost like it’s the perfect opportunity…
As you can see, since the graduates are usually the centre of attention, James couldn’t help but size his moment and instead of walking and lining up normally like everyone else, he decided to head straight over to his wife-to-be and get down on one knee.
You already know the rest.
Welling up immediately and barely able to remove her hands from her face, Melissa nods and says yes as the crowd cheers and the pair share a smooch.
Writing on social media, the GMFRS said: “We managed to capture a VERY special moment at our new recruits pass out parade today… Congratulations to James and Melissa!”, adding, “Certainly one way to start your new career”.
If we don’t see all the groomsmen dressed as firefighters on a random viral video sometime soon we’re going to be gutted.
All the best to the happy couple and if you’ve got any more lovely clips like this to send in so we can make ourselves cry (in a good way), you know what to do.