It’s once again time for The Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness, one of the most inspiring and impactful charitable events of the year and one that you can be a part of.
For anyone unfamiliar with the initiative, the charity run is a mass participation group relay that is held over a full 24 hours right here in Manchester city centre, with Mancs and people all across the country tuning into a live stream to donate.
Runners and walkers alike set off together in recurring waves to complete 5km laps around the city streets, all in an effort to raise money for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity‘s ‘A Bed Every Night’ (ABEN) scheme, which aims to help provide shelter and support for those sleeping rough.
Providing crucial aid not only to Manchester’s existing homeless community but those at risk of ending up on the street, the charity works tirelessly year-round to reduce the number of rough sleepers as much as possible and now the MCR 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness is back for 2023 to do their bit.
Now into its fifth year, the relay has raised an incredible total of £26,372.50, including £3,372.50 in Gift Aid since it first began, with over £12k of that being raised during the 2022 run alone and nearly 900 beds funded.
ADVERTISEMENT
Set up by University of Manchester students and now alumni, Tom Lewis and James Bannister (who served as Chairman and VC for the uni’s free running society, Run Wild MCR), the idea of the event was to run around the city and observe the conditions people living on the streets experience every night, all whilst raising vital funds to stop that happening.
All the money raised goes directly to the GMMC, which provides a comfy bed, a warm welcome and personal support for anyone sleeping rough on the streets in the region — a cause we can all get behind.
ADVERTISEMENT
Their mission is to end the need for rough sleeping and hidden homelessness throughout Greater Manchester and since the event’s inception in 2019, rough sleeping numbers across the region have reduced by 52%. Incredible stuff.
For those that stick through it all day and night, those last few laps are absolutely knackering — but they keep going anyway.
Last year’s event alone reached around 65,000 people across various social media channels and saw an almost even gender split both in those who engaged with the Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness online and who took part for themselves.
2022 saw over 1,000 laps completed by hundreds of people, as well as over 30 running clubs and local organisations, sports-based or otherwise, taking part and putting the miles in for the event.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Mayor of Greater Manchester himself, Andy Burnham, also paid an important visit to cheer everyone on and spread the word about the annual charity run. Rumour has it that Burno might even be taking part alongside the hordes of runners this year…
They also recently held their new ‘Shake-Out’ event from their new base of operations at 53two bar, theatre and arts charity venue on Watson Street, tucked just behind the main Deansgate strip, to raise awareness, get the fundraising ball rolling and show off the route for this year’s run.
While the people behind this truly remarkable event are still looking for local organisations to help promote the event and hopefully match their fundraising total for 2023, the Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness’s reputation is growing more each year — as is their tally.
Taking place on 15 November from the HQ at 53two, where looped laps of the route will start and end every few minutes, we sincerely hope you come along and get involved with this extremely worthy cause.
Not only will a few members of The Manc team be taking part yet again this year but we’ll also be sharing the live stream on our Facebook page. You can get donating NOW or on the night and we hope to see a few of you there and even more tuning in!
Featured Image — Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness/Run Wild MCR
Sport
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
20th October 2023 
