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Manchester Remembers raise over £35,000 for Arena charities thanks to 2023 match
Manchester showed up for their own as they always do and we couldn't be prouder.
Manchester Remembers have managed to raise over a whopping £35,000 thanks to this year’s charity football match. Incredible stuff.
The charity match set up to raise money for organisations supporting the families of the Manchester Arena victims has now become an annual occurrence and following the 2023 exhibition back in May, those who participated as either a player or a spectator helped bring in over £35k in donations.
Playing at Oldham Athletic‘s Boundary Park stadium in front of thousands of Mancunians and high-spirited spectators cheering on the Celebs and the Legends in equal measure, the game might have ended 7-5 to the ex-pros, but the real winner on the day was Manchester without a doubt.
The two men behind setting up the event, Aaron Lee and Paul Corrigan, shared this update with their followers on Thursday, 22 June, showing their immense total of £35,184.14 in funds raised. A moment to be proud of.
All told, with this year’s tally tacked on, Manchester Remembers has now raised well over £110k for charities associated with the 2017 Arena tragedy in just a few short years.
Speaking to The Manc, co-founder Aaron Lee said: “Myself and Paul would like to say a huge thank you to each and every person that helped bring the event to life. There are too many people to name individually but you all know who you are. To be able to hand over such a huge sum of money makes us really proud and we know the charities will use it to continue supporting young people to achieve their dreams in music, sports and the arts.”
We are always blown away by how Mancs come together in times of struggle but to see our city and the surrounding Greater Manchester area continuing to offer their support for causes like this year after year is a testament to how this community always look after their own.
The money is split equally between five different local charities, including The Megan Hurley Foundation, Liv’s Trust, Chloe & Liam Together Forever Trust, Eilidh’s Trust and the Remembering Nell Foundation. In case you missed it, here’s a little glimpse of how the day went down and what you missed.
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With sporting legends like Danny Simpson, Ricky Hatton, Wes Brown and more turning up to have a kickabout, not to mention celebrities like Jason Manford, Lloyd Griffiths, Danny Miller and countless others, the word really is getting out about this game.
With a growing reputation, numerous famous faces showing up each and every year and the cause being as special and important as ever, we guarantee the 2024 Manchester Remembers charity match will be even bigger — just make sure you’re there.
Big up every single one of you who attended or simply donated on the day and it goes without saying that wholeheartedly recommend grabbing yourself a ticket for next year.
We will always remember them.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Image — Manchester Remembers (via Twitter)
News
Man jailed following series of ‘violent’ knife attacks in Wigan town centre last summer
Emily Sergeant
A man has been sentenced this week following a series of ‘violent’ knife attacks in Wigan town centre last summer.
Charles McMurray, of Satchel Close in Wigan, appeared at Bolton Crown Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of Section 18 wounding with intent, threatening a person with a bladed article, and threats to kill following a distressing incident in Wigan town centre last summer.
The court heard that McMurray arrived on Wallgate at around 6:33am on 9 August 2025 before entering a taxi office, where he stabbed two men without warning.
The victims fled, and McMurray pursued them towards the town centre.
McMurray then went on to threaten a passer‑by at Wigan bus station and held a knife to the man’s stomach. A short time later, he located the injured victims on Standishgate and assaulted one of them again. Following that assault, he chased after another member of the public with the knife shouting that he was going to kill him.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers arrived shortly after 6:50am and found McMurray in possession of the knife, before he was subsequently quickly arrested at the scene.
McMurray has now been sentenced to nine years and nine months behind bars, which police say is a ‘testament to the brave victims’ who gave their accounts.
Speaking following McMurray’s sentencing this week, Detective Constable Harris from Wigan CID, who led the investigation, said: “This was an entirely unprovoked attack which left multiple victims requiring hospital treatment. McMurray is a dangerous and violent offender who is now safely behind bars.
“Knives have no place on our streets, and we hope today’s sentence shows just how seriously we take knife crime. Our communities should feel safe where they live and work, and we are committed to tackling knife crime to ensure no family has to face their loved ones being harmed.
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“It is a testament to the brave victims who not only endured this attack but had the courage to provide detailed accounts together with the impact this has had on them, that we have been able to ensure McMurray has been brought to justice.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
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Featured image: GMP
Danny Jones -
23rd June 2023 
