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.
Thank you @WithingtonWalls, @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 @FareShareGtrM guaranteeing that we reach more children in need this summer ♥️ https://t.co/mrle99IG02
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Police appeal after Salford woman, 95, threatened by window cleaner in her own home
Emily Sergeant
Police are appealing for information after an elderly woman was threatened inside her own home during an attempted robbery.
Around 11am yesterday morning (27 January), officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Salford division responded to reports that a woman had cash demanded from her at an address on Belcroft Drive in Little Hulton.
It is believed that a man entered the property after offering to clean the woman’s – who police have confirmed is 95-years-old – windows, before tying her hands together, and then demanding her cash and purse.
The man’s efforts were disrupted when another woman who knew the victim arrived at the house, and thankfully because of this, no injuries were reported and the victim is being supported by officers.
The man fled the scene, and no arrests have been made at this time.
This is why police are now appealing to the public for any information that they may have that could help with their investigation while extensive enquires are ongoing – including any CCTV, dashcam, or doorbell footage from around the area at the time.
Investigators attended the scene and gathered evidence, which is currently being assessed and acted upon, but are also keen to speak to anyone who saw anything ‘suspicious’.
The man who committed the offence was described as white male, approximately in his late 60s or early 70s, with short mousy brown hair combed back, no facial hair, glasses, appeared well-kempt, and was wearing a dark raincoat jacket, jeans, and dark-coloured shoes.
“This was a vile incident in which a woman was tied up and threatened, and we are determined to locate the man responsible,” commented Detective Inspector Paul Davies, from GMP’s Salford district.
“Thankfully, this was not a more serious situation and we commend the brave actions of the lady’s friend who confronted the man and called officers. As we progress this investigation, we are appealing for anyone with any information to please come forward.”
Can you help? Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 or the Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1082 of 27/01/26, or alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
News
NHS launches new AI and robot cancer detection pilot offering ‘glimpse into future’
Emily Sergeant
The NHS has launched a ‘trailblazing’ new AI and robot pilot to help spot cancers sooner.
Patients who are facing suspected lung cancer could get answers sooner under the new pilot that makes use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic technology to help doctors reach hard-to-detect cancers earlier, and all without with fewer tests too.
At the moment, patients are faced with weeks of repeat scans and procedures to come to a diagnosis.
But this could soon be replaced with a single, half-hour cancer biopsy – reducing prolonged uncertainty, and avoiding more invasive surgery.
According to the NHS, the new approach uses AI software to rapidly analyse lung scans and flag small lumps that are most likely to be cancerous, before a robotic camera is then used to guide biopsy tools through the airways with much greater precision than standard techniques.
A new NHS pilot using AI and robotic technology will help doctors reach hard-to-detect lung cancers earlier.
Weeks of scans and procedures could be replaced with a single biopsy, reducing uncertainty and avoiding more invasive surgery.
The robot can reach nodules as small as 6mm – which is around the size of a grain of rice – that are hidden deep in the lung and are often deemed too risky or difficult to access using existing methods, and once AI has highlighted higher-risk areas, doctors can then take a precise tissue sample, which is sent to specialist laboratories and reviewed by expert cancer teams to confirm or rule out cancer.
The NHS’s top cancer doctor hailed the pilot – which is currently being carried out at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust – as ‘a glimpse of the future of cancer detection’.
“Waiting to find out if you might have cancer is incredibly stressful for patients and their families,” admitted Professor Peter Johnson, who is NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer.
The NHS has launched a new AI and robot cancer detection pilot that’s offering a ‘glimpse into future’ / Credit: rawpixel
“Our lung cancer screening programme means that we are picking up more cancers at an early stage than ever, and by bringing AI and robotics together in this trailblazing NHS pilot, we’re bringing in the very latest technology to give clinicians a clearer look inside the lungs and support faster, more accurate biopsies.
“This is a glimpse of the future of cancer detection.
“Innovation like this is exactly how we can help diagnose more cancers faster, so treatment can be most effective, and why the NHS continues to lead the way in bringing new technology safely into frontline care.”
The Manc -
27th July 2021 
