Jason Manford has been out on an Iceland delivery round today to provide locals across Greater Manchester with vital supplies during lockdown.
After the Mancunian comedian famously received a rejection from Tesco to work as a customer assistant back at the start of May, Iceland stepped in to help him on his mission to do his bit for the community amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Locals were greeted with Jason’s trademark smile and treated to a laugh or two whilst he made his rounds alongside an Iceland delivery driver.
During his delivery round, Jason also visited a local charity, The Bread and Butter Thing, to deliver £500 of groceries that will support those in need with essential food supplies.
Iceland has also donated 7.8 tonnes of food equating to 18,500 meals to the charity in the last six months.
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.@JasonManford is joining us today to help with food deliveries ?
After all, if there’s one thing comedians know about – it’s delivery!
In return, we’re making a donation to @CAFTcharity ?
In exchange for his valued contribution, Iceland has also made a donation to Jason’s charity of choice, The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT).
Based in Cheshire, the charity provides holidays and days out for terminally ill, disabled or disadvantaged children from across the North West of England.
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Speaking after his day of delivering, Jason Manford said: “A massive thanks to Iceland who have offered me this opportunity to not just deliver some food to their loyal customers, but also for making a generous donation to charities that are close to my heart.”
Richard Walker, Managing Director at Iceland, said: “Everyone at Iceland is extremely grateful for Jason’s contribution today.”
“He has certainly helped to lift spirits with our customers and heroic colleagues”.
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“Our stores are deeply rooted within their local communities, so it’s a real privilege for us to be in a position where we can work with great people like Jason and donate to some worthy causes at the same time.”
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.
Emily Sergeant -
16th June 2020 
