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.
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”.
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.”
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.
Body found in search for missing man Craig Foy after police scour Heaton Park
Daisy Jackson
A body has been discovered in the search for missing Bury man Craig Foy.
Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team had been carrying out an extensive search for Craig, 40, after he disappeared on Saturday 26 July.
Those searches had included the Heaton Park area, after CCTV appeared to show the Whitefield man climbing into the park just before midnight.
Officers have now confirmed that a body has been found in connection with the investigation.
While formal identification is yet to take place, it’s believed to be that of Craig.
Craig’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
Earlier in the week, GMP said that three men were arrested on suspicion of murder, with one suspect since released on bail and two others facing no further action.
Detective Chief Inspector Jill Billington, from GMP’s Serious Crime Division, said: “The investigation remains ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to Craig’s death, and to ensure that we can get the answers that his family deserve.
“We appreciate the support of the public in sharing our appeals to locate Craig and ask for his family to be given privacy, space and time to process their loss.”
Police are still appealing for information relating to the investigation – you can contact GMP on 101 quoting log number 917-28/7/25 or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
New data reveals a third of Brits admit to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday
Emily Sergeant
Surprising new data has revealed that a third of Brits admits to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday.
After a long and tiring week, most of us would love the chance to clock off work a little earlier than usual on a Friday, but for a lot of workers, this isn’t always a possibility – and for some, they even have to work longer at the end of the week to make sure everything has been finished off and tied up before the weekend arrives.
But since there has been a noticeable rise in remote working and working from home, a new survey has revealed that working attitudes have changed.
Virgin Media has released new broadband data that reveals a drop in traffic on Friday afternoons during the summer months – with as much as an 8% dip between 3-5pm compared to the winter, as remote workers clock off early.
A third of Brits admit to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday / Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
The Friday traffic drop-off comes from Virgin Media’s broadband network analysis, which it says is a ‘reliable indicator’ of the connectivity habits of the British public.
Alongside the network data, Virgin Media also asked Brits about their work policies and working habits ij a bid to fully understand the trend.
Nearly a third (30%) of Brits say they have a formal early Friday finish in place during the summer, but despite almost half of UK adults (48%) saying they’re not authorised to finish early on a Friday, 32% have admitted to regularly logging off with or without official permission.
Surprising new data has revealed Brits’ working habits / Credit: Chuttersnap (via Unsplash)
Many Brits have also confessed to working ‘on the move’ on a Friday afternoon too.
15% admitted to having worked from the train station as the weekend creeps nearer, as well as 14% from the park, 10% from the pub, and many as 30% of 18-24-year-olds worked from the car while travelling for the weekend.
“Our network traffic analysis is revealing changing workplace habits in real time as the nation takes advantage of long summer Fridays,” commented Jeanie York, who is the Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2.
“We’re continuing to boost our fixed and mobile networks so whether Brits are working from their local park, or finishing their work at home, we’re ready to keep them connected.”
Danny Jones -
20th December 2023 
