Manchester-based fashion brand Drama Call invited along Manc music star Aitch to help them pass out early Christmas presents and supplies to local families this week.
As part of their final winter giveback event of 2023 dubbed, ‘The Big Drama’, thriving fashion label Drama Call put boots and wheels on the ground on Tuesday night to hand out hundreds of freebies to those in need throughout the community.
Enlisting the help of plenty of volunteers, the Moston-born rapper and a fleet of vans packed with everything from his drink brand SYPS, Christmas turkeys from Zouk and even a shed load of PlayStation 5s, Drama Call helped spread some extra festive cheer out on the streets and in person.
Legends.
Aitch and dozens of others dished out Christmas presents, groceries, clothes and more on a frosty night in 0161. (Credit: Alfie Wheeler)
Setting up outside of Old Trafford Sports Barn near Seymour Park, just down the road from the Trafford Bar tram stop, the heartwarming handout of valuable supplies and gifts went directly into the hands of those who otherwise couldn’t afford to give their families everything they want/need this holiday season.
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Starting from 6pm onwards, those involved passed out PS5s to wide-eyed little kids, big joints of meat to parents looking to make sure no one goes hungry this Christmas, Adidas trainers, nappies, toys and more.
Founded by Charlie Bows and having recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, the brand has carried countless community-driven and led activations across Greater Manchester and the team prides themselves not only on being “made in Manny” but also on being much “deeper than clothes”.
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They say they have been overwhelmed by the flood of messages thanking them for the touching gesture. You only had to spot the look on the faces of the mums, children and all those who turned up to see how much it meant to everyone, especially at this time of year.
As for Drama Call, this is their bread and butter: they’re all about encouraging other brands to use their platform for the greater good and make an impact in their local communities. Alfie Wheeler of Arumba Cokctails, who also chipped in on the event, said in a LinkedIn post that it was “personally the best night of my life… spirits were high, vibes spot on and some of the reactions/smiles were priceless.”
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Committed to much more than just flogging any old thread with a logo on, this was just the latest in a long line in a series of similar events and clearly brought joy during what is often such a difficult period for so many.
Well done to everyone who took part in spreading some positivity this December and we hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.
You can check out Drama Call’s brand and past community events HERE.
Onlookers ‘in tears’ after tiny duckling rescued from storm drain in beauty spot
Daisy Jackson
The RSPCA has shared a heartwarming video of a reunion between a tiny duckling and his mum, after the baby bird fell into a storm drain.
The charity, with the help of staff in the nearby Grandpa Greene’s Luxury Ice Cream Parlour, managed to fish the tiny bird out of the storm drain in a painstaking two-hour-long operation.
Miraculously, the duckling was unharmed, and his mum was waiting nearby on the canal in Saddleworth ready to be reunited with her baby.
The RSPCA has now thanked the staff member who helped rescue the duckling, and issued a warning to the public to keep dogs on a lead when near wildlife, believing the poor bird was chased by a dog before falling down the five-feet-high grid.
The rescue operation too place in Diggle last Wednesday 9 April, with Animal Rescue Officer Lee Ferrans taking on the ‘long and painstaking’ process of tempting the duckling into a net.
Lee said: “I wasn’t able to lift the grid so the only thing I could do was push an extendable pole straight down and try to catch the duckling in a net. There wasn’t a lot of room for manoeuvre and the net kept catching on all the debris.
“Just when I thought I’d been successful, the duckling kept disappearing into a drain on one side and then popping out again. A member of staff from Grandpa Greene’s had just finished her shift and came across to the other side of the canal to help me. I unscrewed the top of the pole with the net and held it down on one side of the drain while she used another section to gently encourage the bird to go into the net.
“It was quite a long and painstaking rescue but we eventually managed to bring the little one back up safely after more than two hours.”
The pair then placed the duckling into a cardboard box before heading further up the canal to reunite them with their mother and six sibling ducklings.
The adult duck ‘instantly recognised’ the chirping and swam straight towards it.
Lee added: “A little crowd had gathered and as the family were reunited people were shedding tears. It was a really lovely moment to see them all back together.
“I’d especially like to thank the member of staff from Grandpa Greene’s who offered an extra pair of hands – I couldn’t have done it without her – and to all the people in the area who stopped and were concerned.
“Storm drains can be a bit of a menace for ducklings, especially at this time of the year when there are babies around, and this brood was only a few days old.”
Man jailed for throwing acid in the face of a 16-year-old boy
Daisy Jackson
A man has been thrown behind bars for eight years and two months after throwing a corrosive substance over a 16-year-old boy, leaving him with serious injuries.
When Gilson Martins of Ashton Street, Rochdale, was arrested, he was found to be in possession of acid, being kept in a bottle of hair dye.
He pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a corrosive substance, and witness intimidation, and was also sentenced for unrelated drugs offences in 2022.
On 24 March 2024, Martins plotted the attack on his 16-year-old victim, even demonstrating to another man how effective the acid would be by using it on a piece of paper.
The victim was then lured to an address in the Woodley area by an accomplice, where he was confronted by Martins.
When an altercation broke out, a corrosive substance was thrown over the teen.
He was taken to hospital with serious injuries which required intensive treatment at a specialist burns unit, with several more procedures taking place since.
When a man spoke to police about the acid attack, Martins attended his home and threatened to ‘stab him, throw acid on him, and carve his name’ into him.
#JAILED| A man has been jailed following an acid attack on a 16-year-old boy in Stockport last year.
Gilson Martins (06/12/01) was arrested by armed police following the attack, and was discovered with an acid-filled bottle of hair dye.
The man in question barricaded himself in his bedroom while Martins knifed the door, fleeing shortly before police arrived.
He was arrested by armed officers on 10 April this year, where he was found with a bottle of hair dye.
Detective Constable Heather Parke, from GMP’s Stockport district, said: “The effects of attacks involving corrosive substances are well-known, and can result in severe, life-changing injuries or even death.
“Using them in attacks is utterly vile and I am glad Martins is now behind bars for his vicious assault. His victim received injuries from which he is still suffering, and has already received numerous treatments.
“We have zero tolerance for these sort of crimes, and we put considerable resources into ensuring that Martins was arrested, charged, and sentenced. He now has a long time to think about his actions inside a prison cell.”
Danny Jones -
20th December 2023 
