Andy Burnham has today launched an appeal for Manchester restaurants to help stop homelessness in the city this winter, simply by adding an optional £1 charity donation to their bill.
Whilst it has been an undeniably tough time for Manchester restaurants these past few years, a number are already signed up do their bit to help vulnerable people in need.
The StreetSmart campaign, which launches every year in the city on 1 November, sees Manchester’s restaurants offer a platform to the charitable scheme throughout November and December.
It doesn’t cost participating restaurants anything to take part, and every penny raised in Manchester goes directly to local homeless organisations.
This includes the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity and the “A Bed Every Night” scheme, which aims to provide a bed and personal support for anyone who has nowhere else to go.
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Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, has released a video appealing to more restaurants to get involved.
500 restaurants have signed up so far to support @StreetSmartUK's winter campaign. It's those who are already the worst-off who will be hit the hardest this winter, facing eviction and life on the streets – so StreetSmart feels more crucial than ever pic.twitter.com/cxLSvDFwiX
He comments: “We all know that the winter ahead is going to be one of the most challenging we’ve faced. Unfortunately, the people who will be hit hardest will be those who are already in the most precarious positions, and those already living at the edge could be pushed over it.
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“That’s why the StreetSmart campaign is so important. A voluntary donation can help support life-changing initiatives here in our city region. Even in our toughest times, Greater Manchester has never walked on by. Please, if you can, help support StreetSmart this winter.”
In previous years, StreetSmart has seen an incredible £34,000 raised by Manchester restaurants including Ramona, Street Urchin, Evuna, Batard, Tampopo, 20 Stories, Banyan, Firehouse, Solita and Bottega by San Carlo at Selfridges.
This year, restaurants confirmed as taking part include Mana, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, Bottega by San Carlo, 20 0Stories and Street Urchin – but it’s hoped that more will sign up for the scheme, which costs them nothing to participate in.
Whilst diners at participating eateries are in no way obliged to add £1 to their bill, restaurants have found in the past that many are more than happy to pay something forward to those with less.
Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, along with other local homegrown charities that will benefit from the campaign, is focused on helping individuals break the cycle, regain their dignity and rebuild their lives via positive action, as well as providing crisis and emergency shelter and food during the current cost of living crisis.
StreetSmart has raised over £10 million since its foundation and raised an incredible £696,000 for homeless people across the UK in 2021.
Over 50 homelessness charities now benefit each year, with funds supporting services such as the creation of beds, housing, mental health advice & job support.
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Ten years ago today, we made @richardpbacon do this with a giant £1. He was a true gent and helped boost our campaign to help homeless people as did @GrouchoClubSoho and the much missed Soho Prince Bernie. Never forgotten pic.twitter.com/FUToMY2UNs
Glenn Pougnet, Director of StreetSmart said: “After another tough year for the hospitality industry, and for people all over the country, we are so grateful to the brilliant Manchester restaurants who have signed up so far.
“We know it’s a difficult time to run a restaurant so their support means more than ever. Unfortunately, tough times hit people who are already struggling the hardest and so the funding for charities like Bed Every Night are more vital than ever.
Family pays tribute to ‘gentle young man’ who died after a ‘targeted’ car attack in Bury
Emily Sergeant
The family of a young man who was involved in a collision with a car in Bury earlier this week have now paid tribute to him.
The man has been named as 19-year-old Brandon Porter Kershaw.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was called to reports of a road traffic collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian on Porritt Street, in Bury, at around 8:10pm on Monday (19 May), and when officers attended the scene, they found a man lying with ‘serious injuries’ in the road.
Despite the best efforts of all emergency services involved, the teenager sadly passed away as a result of his injuries.
Police went on to inform the Greater Manchester community that they believe this was a ‘targeted attack’, with no wider threat to others in the area.
Following this admission, a 38-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday (Tuesday 20 May) and was taken to custody ahead of being questioned by detectives from GMP’s Major Incident Team.
With a murder investigation now underway, Brandon’s family have paid a touching tribute to the ‘devoted dad’ via police.
“We are all truly shocked and heartbroken by the sudden loss of Brandon,” their tribute begins.
“He was a gentle, kind-hearted young man whose warmth and social nature touched everyone around him. Brandon was a devoted dad to his young daughter, who he loved deeply. His family meant everything to him, and the bond he shared with his mum was incredibly special, they were best friends.
“Brandon was taken far too soon, and his passing has left a deep void in all our lives. As we come to terms with this devastating news, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve and support one another through this difficult time.”
Porritt Street in Bury, where the ‘targeted attack’ occurred / Credit: Google Maps
At this time, police confirmed the driver of the vehicle is still yet to be located, and they are now appealing to the public for information.
“We still have people of interest we are keen to speak to,” explained Detective Chief Inspector David Moores, of GMP’s Major Incident Team. “The driver of the vehicle remains outstanding and relentless efforts are currently being conducted by specialist units to locate him.
“I ask anyone who may have seen something suspicious in the area that evening to come forward and know that information will be treated with the strictest confidence. It only takes one crucial piece of information that may be key to achieving answers for Brandon’s family and friends.”
Anyone with any potential information is asked to either call police on 101 quoting incident number 3460 of 19/5/25, report it via the LiveChat function on gmp.police.uk, or submit it through the Major Incident Public Portal here.
Featured Image – GMP
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Tesco is trialling giving away expired food to shoppers for FREE at the end of the day
Emily Sergeant
Tesco has begun trialling giving away food that’s close to expiring away to shoppers for free at the end of the day.
You’ve heard of reduced-price food, but now Tesco is taking things one step further.
Food waste continues to be a growing problem, with the latest Government statistics revealing that the UK throws away approximately 9.52 million tonnes of food every year, which is why Tesco has decided to begin a trail at selected Express stores nationwide where it gives away some already-discounted ‘yellow sticker’ items for free after 9:30pm, reports The Telegraph.
Tesco is one of the UK’s major supermarket chains with a partnership to send surplus food to food poverty charities and foodbanks.
Although the chain is already donating its expired food, bosses say they are taking this next step to try to meet its goal to halve food waste by the end of this year.
Tesco is trialling giving away expired food for free to shoppers at the end of the day / Credit: The Manc Group
During this new trial – which is currently underway at selected stores across the UK – the company said the expiring food would be offered to charities and shop workers first, before customers could take it home for free.
Usually the items would be marketed at a cut-off of a 90% reduction, but under the new system – which is the first of its kind in the UK – food will be free of charge.
“We are constantly looking for innovative new ways to reduce food waste,” a Tesco spokesperson commented on the trail.
“In all our stores we offer unsold surplus food to charities and community groups, donating millions of meals each month.
“This trial, in a small number of our Express stores, will allow customers to take any remaining yellow stickered items for free at the end of the day, after they have first been offered to charities and colleagues.”
Georgina Pellant -
21st October 2022 
