A father who was paralysed in the Manchester Arena attack has been presented with a prestigious award that celebrates “inspirational” volunteers.
Bolton-born football agent Martin Hibbert – who was the closest casualty to the bomb blast to survive – suffered 22 shrapnel wounds and was left paralysed from the waist down when he and his teenage daughter were among the hundreds of people injured in the terror attack at Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017.
Since that horrific day, Martin has shown true fighting spirit and always made it his mission to “turn an appalling act of terror into a force for greater good” by raising worthy funds for Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).
Martin won his place in the hearts of the nation when scaled 19,308ft to the top of Africa’s highest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro in an epic expedition earlier this year.
Now a wheelchair user, Martin used a custom-built handbike for the challenge – which he said he was inspired to do after learning that only one in three people with spinal cord injuries receive treatment at specialist centres.
Paralysed Manchester Arena attack survivor given prestigious award for ‘inspirational’ fundraising efforts / Credit: SIA / Cloud Force Marketing / Sam Manton
Martin credits his recovery to support from the association and the dedicated care he received by staff at Salford Royal Hospital, and as a fitting tribute to the people who “changed [his] life” and “put [him] back together”, he completed the challenge alongside his friend Stuart Wildman – a consultant nurse who cared for him from the very beginning in the Major Trauma Unit at Salford Royal.
Martin says his work as an SIA trustee offers “hope, confidence, and practical skills” to other people paralysed by spinal cord injury, and helps to “move mountains” in promoting optimism and inclusivity for life after injury.
So far, Martin has raised over £800,000 for the SIA – but is looking to reach his target of £1 million.
And now, with his fundraising target firmly in sight, the 45-year-old has been presented with the prestigious Prime Minister’s ‘Points of Light’ award – which is given to outstanding and inspirational volunteers making a difference in their community to “celebrate, encourage, and promote” volunteering and the value that it brings to the country.
— Spinal Injuries Association (@spinalinjuries) October 14, 2022
He was presented with the award by Chorley MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lyndsay Hoyle, at Chorley Town Hall last Friday.
“It’s an honour to receive the Points of Light Award for my Kilimanjaro climb,” Martin said on receiving his award last week.
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it is only part of the full story. Because we all have our own mountains to climb every single day, my true ambition is to enable every spinal cord injured person to receive the specialist care and support they need to live the life they choose and reach their full potential.”
Sir Lyndsay said Martin’s bravery and determination is ‘truly inspirational”, and that he represents everything the award stands for.
Manchester Arena bomb survivor Martin Hibbert has been given a 'Points of Light' Award for his campaign to raise awareness for people with spinal cord injuries.
Keen to show your support to Martin? All donations towards Martin’s target of raising £1 million for the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) can be made via his official JustGiving page here.
And don’t forget to keep up to date with Martin in the lead-up to the challenge on Twitterand Instagram.
Featured Image – Martin Hibbert
News
Local LGBTQIA+ football team Manchester Laces are set to play in the FA Cup for the first time ever
Danny Jones
Inclusive football team Manchester Laces are set to break even more new ground are they prepare to compete in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup for the first time ever.
What a truly incredible few years it’s been for the club.
Set to play their maiden match in the female division of the sport’s oldest competition this weekend, Manchester Laces’ Yellows squad will be taking on rival Greater Manchester Women’s Football League (GMWFL) side, Northwich Victoria, in another historic milestone for the local outfit.
Announced last month, the game is now fast approaching, and they’re hoping that plenty of Manc natives will turn up in support.
For anyone unfamiliar with the story, Manchester Laces has grown to become the leading women’s, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ positive sporting bodies in the region.
In fact, as part of a wider family – which includes clubs in Hackney, South London and Limehouse Laces, not to mention players over in Canada too – they’re comfortably one of the biggest in the entire country.
Sticking with MCR Laces alone, founded by Helen Hardy, they have grown so much in reputation and size that they have six different teams besides just the Yellows: the other Manchester squads include the Blues, Greens, Oranges, Purples, as well as the budding new Reds and Blacks.
It’s this kind of impressive expansion and, crucially, representation that has seen them win two Football v Homophobia Awards and Grassroots Initiative of the Year back in 2023.
Side-note: they also happen to have one of our favourite fooy kits of the entire year so far…
Boasting a new regular stadium at Timpson Road and set to take part not only in the North West Women’s Regional Football League (NWWFL)/GMWFL, but now FA Cup and county cup games, 2025 could be their most momentous year yet.
Providing access to countless women and people from within the queer and non-binary community who love the beautiful game and may have otherwise struggled to find an outlet, their work has been crucial in and around Greater Manchester.
With that in mind, taking part in an inaugural run within the prestigious knockout tournament feels like yet another watershed moment for the organisation.
Speaking ahead of the fixture, the club wrote on social media: “In 2021, we started our journey in Div 2 of the GMWFL with the aim of creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all. After winning consecutive league titles and earning back-to-back promotions, we are now a Tier 6 team.
“Yellows are delighted to be stepping into the magic of the FA Cup for the very first time, and we would love to see you there!
Taking place at both Wythenshawe Town FC’s and the Yellows’ own new home ground of Ericstan Park on Sunday, 7 September (2pm KO), we wish them the best of luck.
18-21 year olds can now travel on Greater Manchester’s buses for half price
Emily Sergeant
18-21 year olds can now apply to travel on Greater Manchester’s bus network for half price, it has been announced.
The Bee Network says it is ‘continuing to lead the way’ when it comes to cutting the cost of public transport, with applications for half price unlimited bus travel for 18-21 year olds now open and around 150,000 young people in Greater Manchester set to benefit.
The new pass will ‘better connect’ young people to work, training, or education opportunities.
With the Greater Manchester economy found to be experiencing faster growth compared to the UK as a whole, and with making travel ‘easier, more affordable, and inclusive’ a critical part of the Bee Network’s success, Mayor Andy Burnham announced the half-price bus travel this week, alongside a raft of other improvements across the region.
Some of the other improvements the Mayor announced include more frequent buses, cheaper travel, and new round-the-clock services.
18-21 year olds can now travel on Greater Manchester’s buses for half price / Credit: TfGM
Young people can now buy a 28-day bus travelcard for just £40, which is half the price of adult fares and the equivalent of just £1.43 per day for unlimited travel on any Bee Network bus in Greater Manchester.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) says the new half-price travel is aimed at helping the thousands of young people once their 16-18 ‘Our Pass’ expires, and will support them as they move into further education or the world of work.
“Young people in Greater Manchester have been calling out for an affordable transport option for when their Our Pass expires and this new pass will give them that,” commented Fran Wilkinson, who is the Director for Customer and Growth at TfGM.
The new 18-21 Bee Bus ticket is here! 🙌
Enjoy 28 day’s of unlimited travel on #BeeNetwork buses for just £40. 🚌
Buy yours now on the Bee Network app with an 18-21 Pass ID.
“We know this is such an important time in a young person’s life as they look to go into further education or enter the world of work.
“Now as they explore the many opportunities available to them they will be able to use any Bee Network bus as much as they need to at half the price.”
Fatima Bangoura, who is the Youth Engagement Officer at Youth Leads, added: “The new 18-21 pass opens doors for those who may worry about losing that support once their Our Pass ends, making travel for training, apprenticeships, education and employment far more accessible.”
Emily Sergeant -
17th October 2022 
