A mystery donor has donated a five-figure sum to Greater Manchester’s COVID hardship fund – leaving Mayor Andy Burnham speechless.
The new OneGM campaign – which was set up to provide extra local support for those affected most by COVID during winter – has enjoyed an incredible start; with over 400 contributions coming in since the charity page went live earlier this week.
But Burnham – who helped to set up OneGM alongside several other influential people in the region – revealed that one anonymous person had given £50,000 to the fund on Wednesday (28 October) evening.
To whoever has anonymously donated £50,000 to the #oneGM campaign today, I genuinely don’t know how to thank you enough.
You’ve given us hope that we can get people through this.
The Mayor tweeted: “To whoever has anonymously donated £50,000 to the #oneGM campaign today, I genuinely don’t know how to thank you enough.
“You’ve given us hope that we can get people through this.
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“Indeed, thanks for all your donations.”
OneGM is raising funds to get local support to those hardest hit by the economic impact of coronavirus – from tackling food poverty, to helping those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, to providing mental health support.
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The campaign page reads: “Many people have already lost income as a result of Covid and the situation is getting worse. Families, friends, neighbours and whole communities now need help. But when times are tough, we pull together.
“If you feel you can give a little, please know it will all add up. Your donation will make a difference to those who need it most.
“The money raised by this campaign will enable crucial work to happen across all 10 boroughs of our city region.”
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OneGM launch meeting on Tuesday
Some of the people already involved in the campaign, which launched on Tuesday, include Chris Oglesby, CEO of Bruntwood; former Manchester United footballer and businessman, Gary Neville; award-winning actor, Julie Hesmondhalgh; Right Reverend Dr David Walker, Bishop of Manchester; and Lucy Danger, CEO of EMERGE which runs FareShare Greater Manchester.
Also involved are Olympian Diane Modahl, Chair of the Greater Manchester Young Person’s Task Force and Trustee of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity; Karina Jadhav, Founder and Owner, Menagerie bar and restaurant; and Liz Taylor, CEO of corporate events company TLC Ltd.
You can learn more about OneGM and make a contribution to the COVID hardship fund via the JustGiving page here.
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Beloved Manchester artist Stanley Chow slams Conservative Party for using his artwork
Daisy Jackson
Celebrated local artist Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party.
The illustrator, who is famed for his cartoon portraits of famous faces, has discovered that the political party have been using his Andy Burnham illustration at their party conference.
Publicly addressing the usage, Stanley said he would be ‘seeking legal advice’.
He shared a photo of his Andy Burnham portrait that has been placed onto a water bottle with the slogan ‘Bottler Burnham’.
The label also says: “0% strength. Bottled under pressure from Badenoch.”
In another photo, Stanley Chow revealed that the Tory party conference has used his Andy Burnham portrait on pots of sweets, too.
This time, they say: “Andy Panders’ people pleaser pick n mix. Free sweets for everyone, it will only cost you higher taxes.”
Stanley wrote: “It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party…
“Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice.”
Backing him up in the comments are a number of other local artists, including Mancsy, who said: “As well as the copyright infringement, I expect more of political parties than making gags at the expense of the opposition. It’s alarming on multiple levels.”
Someone else wrote: “Imagine calling a prime minister a people pleaser like it’s an insult… when it’s their job.”
Another person said: “How does that even happen?! Layers of people signing off who go, ‘Sure, let’s not worry about copyright’ (people who’ve presumably never step foot in MCR and seen your artwork, like EVERYWHERE). Drag em, babe. Copyright and reputation, surely.”
Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.
Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.
At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.
The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.
Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.
When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.
BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
The Manc -
29th October 2020 
