Manchester City Council and one of the city’s most iconic charities has joined forces to launch a fundraising appeal for refugees fleeing Ukraine.
Set up by the Council in partnership with We Love MCR Charity (WLMC), all with the aim of supporting individuals and families fleeing the devastating conflict and arriving here in Manchester, the new MCR Ukraine Welcome Fund will fund charities and voluntary sector groups who are providing assistance – such as essential items, advice, and more.
Every penny raised and donated will go towards supporting Ukrainian evacuees in the city, and the Council has already kicked-off the fund with a donation of £50,000.
So far, the new MCR Ukraine Welcome Fund has already identified Caritas (Salford Diocese) and Europia as charity partners with “considerable experience” of supporting people who arrive in the city with next to nothing.
Further partners are also being brought in, according to the Council and WLMC.
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.@MCR_Charity, in partnership with Manchester City Council, is proud to launch the MCR Ukraine Welcome Fund to support Ukrainian evacuees who come to Manchester.
We have proudly kickstarted the fund with a £50,000 donation.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) March 24, 2022
“No one watching the horrific scenes unfolding in Ukraine following the Russian invasion can fail to be moved by the plight of the Ukrainian people,” said Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, on the launch of the fund.
“Manchester stands in solidarity with them and we are ready to play our part, together with towns and cities across Europe, in welcoming evacuees escaping the conflict and the humanitarian disaster it is creating.
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“While some people will even be opening their homes to arriving Ukrainians, we know not everyone is in a position to do that, but by donating to this fund you can show you care by helping to provide practical help and support right here in Manchester to those escaping danger and starting to rebuild their lives.”
Joanne Roney OBE – Chief Executive of Manchester City Council said: “I’m glad the Council has been able to make the first donation as we know that Mancunians have big hearts and a proud tradition of hospitality and compassion.
“They will doubtless be generous in helping to welcome Ukrainian families to our city.”
Other organisations getting involved with the fund include Manchester City FC, who will be promoting the campaign on match days at both the Etihad Stadium and Academy Stadium.
What’s more, is that Manchester City Council is also working with other services to coordinate planning for the arrival of Ukrainian refugees under Government schemes – including the recently-launched Homes for Ukraine scheme, which enables UK residents to host Ukrainian evacuees.
The striking new £40 million Tower of Light landmark near Manchester Central Convention Centre will also be illuminated blue and yellow to mark the launch of the fund, so keep your eyes peeled.
You can donate to the MCR Ukraine Welcome Fundhere.
Major pop star CMAT pops up for surprise performance in Gay Village bar
Daisy Jackson
CMAT, one of the world’s hottest artists right now, popped up and did a surprise set inside a legendary Gay Village bar last night.
The Irish singer (who is a bit of an adopted Manc at this point) is about to play two massive sold-out shows in Manchester.
She’s set to play at the O2 Victoria Warehouse tonight and tomorrow, performing hits from her chart-topping third studio album Euro-Country.
But before that, it was a night out on Canal Street for CMAT, who stunned punters inside Via by hopping up on stage.
CMAT jumped on stage along with drag queen Ginger Hunter, resident queen Amy Laqueefa, and Dahliah Rivers and belted out a rendition of her smash hit single, Take A Sexy Picture Of Me.
The group – and the delighted audience – all joined her in nailing the choreography to the song too.
Sharing a couple of videos, Via wrote: “What a Night! Ireland’s Pop Princess @cmatbaby paid us a visit and gave us a very special rendition of Take a Sexy Picture! We love Cmat.”
She’d also been spotted earlier in the evening at Lily Allen’s West End Girl show at Aviva Studios.
Dahliah Rivers commented: “A fever dream!!! What a gorgeous evening”
Amy LaQueefa wrote: “Obsessed that CMAT wanted to come and get up with us tonight”
Fast-rising alt-pop favourite CMAT relocated to Manchester as a 17-year-old back in 2013 to pursue her career in music, and it’s fair to say the move turned out to be a positive one.
She’s supported the likes of Sam Fender, and played massive festival slots like Glastonbury last summer.
And now CMAT will head straight from the stage at Via to a much bigger platform, with two sold-out gigs at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on 11 and 12 March.
The full 2026 MOBOs Fringe programme for the first-ever awards in Manchester has been revealed
Danny Jones
Now the BRITs have been and gone, it’s time to switch our focus to the next big awards show: the 2026 MOBOs, which is also coming to Manchester for the very first time, and they’re bringing the popular Fringe event along with it.
Get ready for more big showbiz hustle and bustle to hit the city centre before you know it; we, for one, are so ready.
Similar to the aforementioned BRIT Awards, the MOBOs also hold a regular ‘Fringe’ music, arts and cultural festival with each annual edition.
You can see the full range of this year’s largely free-to-attend MOBOs Fringe lineup and the extensive schedule in its entirety down below.
Manchester, it’s your time.
The full #MOBOFringe 2026 programme is here – nine days of music, culture, panels, parties and showcases across the city ahead of the #MOBOAwards on 26 March.
As you can see, there’s a lot on the cards this year, with different activities and activations happening all over central Manchester.
Featuring everything from exclusive live sets, sport and other entertainment, to various selectors and even a creative summit, it’s jam-packed with countless aspects beyond just that music that help make the industry as a whole tick.
Venues involved include The Whitworth Gallery, faithful Green Island Festival partners, the Niamos Centre, multi-purpose bars and events spaces like Side Street and Renae, as well as important music venues like The Deaf Institute and Aviva Studios – a.k.a. the home of Factory International.
Each hosting a variety of different dates over the course of its nearly week-long duration ahead of the MOBO Awards themselves, there’s something for everyone and anyone interested not just in Black music and entertainment but Black-British culture and more.
For instance, we already heard about the exclusive basketball match between Manchester and a fellow European competitor, and tickets are live as we speak. You can see the full Fringe programme in more detail online.
Running from Thursday 19 to Tuesday 24 March, the event week is shaping up to be a cracker.
As for the inaugural Manc MOBOs ceremony at Co-op Live, it gets underway just a couple of days later on the following Thursday (26 Mar).
serving as the perfect way to close the Fringe and this year’s edition as a whole.
Tickets for the MOBO Awards Manchester debut are live as we speak, with general admission prices starting from less than £30. You can grab yours HERE.
As for those expected to be in attendance, the likes of Olivia Dean and local rapper Aitch have already been confirmed for the live music lineup, and to see the full list of nominees, look no further…
Emily Sergeant -
24th March 2022 
