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£40k raised for Rashford mural donated to FareShare Greater Manchester
A five-figure sum will be donated to the food poverty charity that Rashford has worked with since March 2020.
Thousands of pounds raised to fund the repairs of the damaged Marcus Rashford mural are set to be donated to local food charity FareShare Greater Manchester.
The Manchester United footballer announced that almost £40,000 had been contributed to fix the Withington artwork – which was defaced following England’s defeat in the Euro 2020 Final on July 11.
As original artist Akse P19 removed the graffiti, the wall turned into a symbol of unity – with hundreds gathering to write words of support across the illustration.
With these messages now set for preservation and the mural fully repaired, Rashford has confirmed the remainder of donations are being dedicated to the food poverty charity with whom he has worked since March 2020.
Rashord has helped FareShare distribute the equivalent of over 21 million meals for families who might not otherwise eat, as well as launching the Child Food Poverty Taskforce to support the National Food Strategy in a bid to tackle child hunger in the UK.
The footballer’s work with FareShare also led to two successive U-turns from the government who initially rejected the notion of extending the provision of free school meals and vouchers. 1.3 million vulnerable children could continue to access food over the holidays as a result.
Now, Rashford says the mural money will offer another boost for the charity.
Posting on Twitter, the Man Utd star said: “Thank you Withington Walls, Akse P19, to Julie who kicked this all off, and to everyone who pledged a couple of £s for its repair.
“Having raised close to £40k, those funds will now be donated to Fare Share guaranteeing that we reach more children in need this summer.”
The messages added to the Rashford mural were carefully removed by Manchester City Council on Friday (23 July) and transported to Central Library’s archives department.
Despite some experiencing some initial damage during an unexpected downpour, the council has said the majority of messages were successfully saved.
Rashford, who suffered racial abuse online following his penalty miss in the Euros final, said that watching people gather at the mural to show their support “lifted him” at “one of his lowest points”.
The messages will also continue to live on through the digital Wall of Hope – which is available to view on BT.com.
View the Wall of Hope here.
Featured image: Dunk / Flickr
News
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
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“Help us be a lifeline to organisations on the frontline,” Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity urged in it’s public appeal for donations.
You can help make sure ‘A Bed Every Night’ is a reality for all by donating here.
Featured Image – EthelRedThePetrolHead (via Flickr)
News
Former Manchester police officer jailed after sexually assaulting a child while on duty
Emily Sergeant
A former Manchester police officer has been jailed after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a child while he was on duty.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that, on 29 December 2023, Dean Dempster was one of three officers responding to a domestic incident involving an adult and children, and it was while he was taking an account from a six-year-old girl, away from his colleagues, that he sexually abused her when he should have been there to protect her.
After GMP investigated a complaint received later that evening in relation to the incident, Dempster was immediately confronted by his supervisor when he returned to duty the next morning.
The 35-year-old was arrested that day by officers in Oldham, and then “relentlessly pursued” by GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate to “explore any further evidence of offending” in an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
A review of Dempster’s electronic devices revealed “further serious offending”, GMP revealed, including the making of indecent images of children.
Sadly, the police investigation also found images on Dempster’s mobile phone taken from his body-worn video camera at the incident in December 2023 of a second clothed child, and of another clothed child at a separate incident dating back to 2022 – with the victims of both families having been made aware, and kept updated throughout the investigation
Dempster was convicted and sacked “at the earliest legal opportunity” by the Chief Constable at an accelerated misconduct hearing in May this year, and he has since admitted six counts of making indecent images, and two counts of Misconduct in Public Office.
After pleading guilty, the former officer has now been jailed for nine years, and has also been ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
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Deputy Chief Constable, Terry Woods, said Dempster “represents the very worst of society”.
“He is not a police officer, he is a child sex offender, a criminal, and he has no right to be near police uniform or serve the public,” DCC added. “Dempster was rightfully arrested and charged before he could ever work in our communities again.”
Featured Image – GMP
The Manc -
27th July 2021 
