Liverpool fundraising legend ‘Speedo Mick’ has officially completed his final charity challenge by walking all the way from John O’Groat’s in Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall.
The famous fundraiser, who became a household name for swimming the English Channel in 2014 and numerous other impressive feats over the last decade, finished his 1,000-mile walk on Saturday, 29 April, summiting the likes of Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis in all manner of conditions on his way.
Real name Michael Cullen, Speedo Mick gained the amusingly modest moniker for carrying out all of his charity efforts in nothing but a tight pair of swimming trunks, but make no mistake, there is nothing modest about the things this man has achieved.
Arriving in Land’s End this weekend following his epic four-month trek to walk the length of the UK, the proud Scouser and lifelong Everton fan (hence the choice of shorts) shared a resouding message of relief and gratitude on social media, confirming his journey had finally come to an end.
I can't believe the journey is over but I am mighty relieved that it is. I have been running on fumes adrenaline beeps and pasties for 3 weeks.
As if this individual feast wasn’t enough, when totting up all of his other fundraising efforts throughout the past 10 years, Speedo Mick has raised more than £1 million for charity, including over £220,000 for mental health organisations not just around the North West but the UK and Ireland at large.
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Mick began his remarkable voyage after he began struggling with his own mental health some time ago, with his last walk seeing him cover more than 2,500 miles and raising £200k in one go. Utterly immense.
As explained in the description on his fundraising page, the 58-year-old has raised a ridiculous amount for various important causes, including mental health, food drives, disadvantaged young people and homelessness — all of which factored into The SpeedoMike Foundation, which he set up in June 2020.
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Speaking to BBC Breakfast on the day he reached Land’s End, the mighty Speedo Mick explained how motivation came from nothing else other than wanting to give back, explaining how he “needed that support myself a long time ago and [has] never looked back since.”
For nine years, Speedo Mick has crossed the length and breadth of the UK wearing little more than a pair of blue swimming trunks to raise £1m.
Speedo Mick has put in some serious graft over the past seven years, in particular, raising truly life-saving sums to combat mental health and suicide prevention, but as he explained when he began this walk (in freezing cold December, no less), he will now “be hanging up my Blue knickers for ever more.”
Joking that he’s “no spring chicken”, his first words after reaching his final destination were: “I’m freezing cold, but I’m excited to see all of my family. I just want to see my own bed and to have some beans on toast.” We’d say he’s earned it, wouldn’t you?
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You can donate to his GoFundMe HERE and help him take his amazing tally even further.
You’re an absolute inspiration, Mick, now have a good old rest and enjoy that beans on toast.
Dispute over Manichester now ‘resolved’, say Mounfield family
Danny Jones
The family of the late, great Manchester musician, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, have said that the drama surrounding the highly-anticipated tribute festival in his name, Manichester, has now thankfully been settled.
Now the focus can once again return to remembering him as best as possible.
Following plenty of talk about the project following his passing late last year, a live music festival honouring Mani was finally confirmed in March, and the reaction following the event’s announcement has been unsurprisingly phenomenal.
Well, at least for the most part, as there was also some confusion over whether or not Manichester was still a charitable effort as advertised, with son Gene Mounfield disputing claims online. Fortunately, it all seems to have been put to bed now.
On behalf of the boys, and as their legal guardian, I want to thank everyone for the kind messages and concern for their wellbeing. There was a misunderstanding regarding the upcoming Manichester tribute concert, but we’re pleased to share that everything has now been resolved. pic.twitter.com/j8jEMrFzsD
Being organised by Madchester.com and locally-founded fashion label, GIOGOI, the debut edition was said to have the total blessing of Mani’s family, including his brother, Greg Mounfield.
It was also said that the funds raised by the show would be going to the legendary Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassists’ twins, George and Grene, but the latter recently argued that “nothing” was going to either him or his brother and that the news was “dropped” the plans just a fortnight prior.
He also said that “if it was a charity gig it would be at Co-op [Live] or Heaton Park, and it would be done by SJM [Concerts]”: a Manchester-based promoters and events company.
All of this was also wrapped up in ever more paper talk and sensationalism, as some were reporting that Noel and Liam Gallagher, as well as other members of Oasis, would be surprising fans as the still yet to be revealed ‘major headliner’.
These rumours have since been quashed, as has whatever miscommunication caused the misunderstanding between the parties concerned, and we are now back to simply looking forward to seeing an already stacked lineup here in the city centre this May.
As for the surviving Mounfields, they went on to add in an accompanying Instagram post: “We would also like to express our gratitude to PH.
“It means a great deal to all of us that so many people loved Mani enough to give their time and energy to honour his memory in this way. We are genuinely touched by the support.
“It has been an incredibly difficult few years for the boys and for our whole family. We hope this event will bring some much‑needed joy and create new, positive memories for everyone who cared about him.
“With love and thanks – The Family”
It goes without saying that we can’t wait for this city and Greater Manchester as a whole to honour a Manc icon and are looking forward to another year celebrating the thing that never fails to bring us all together: music.
Featured Images — livepict.com (via Wikimedia Commons)/Publicity pictures (supplied)
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Rochdale is bidding to become the UK’s first-ever Town of Culture in 2028
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has announced its intention to bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028.
Entering into the national competition launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), following on from the success of the already-existing City of Culture award, the Greater Manchester town is hoping to be the first-ever town to claim the title.
The Town of Culture competition invites towns across the UK to showcase their cultural story and develop ambitious programmes that celebrate local heritage, creativity, and communities.
The winning town receives a £3 million grant from the Government to deliver a major year-long cultural programme in 2028 designed to boost civic pride, attract visitors, and provide everyone with the opportunity to participate in cultural activities.
Rochdale’s bid is being led by Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency, alongside cultural groups, education providers, and community organisations.
The bid will build on the town’s history as the birthplace of the Co-operative movement, and a centre of political reform, collective action and working-class cultural innovation.
A town of national and international significance, whose people and ideas have shaped the social, democratic and cultural life of the UK and beyond, Rochdale Council says the town’s story is ‘distinctive’ and as highly relevant today as it ever has been, and this is a driving force behind its Town of Culture 2028 bid.
Not just historically, but over recent years too, the town has made a significant contribution to the UK’s popular culture, producing internationally recognised musicians, artists, writers, and performers.
Local leaders say the bid to become the UK’s first ever Town of Culture underlines Rochdale’s ambition after just completing a ‘hugely successful’ year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture for 2025.
Rochdale is bidding to become the UK’s first-ever Town of Culture / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
“We have a strong foundation for a bold and future focused UK Town of Culture programme and an incredible story to tell,” commented Cllr Neil Emmott, who is the Leader of Rochdale Borough Council.
“We’ll be developing a fabulous programme of new events and activities as well as amplifying our existing offer and recently transformed town hall square and centre.
“As we have already seen during our year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture, we have an established infrastructure of creative partners ready to go, who have already expressed their support for our bid, providing significant capacity and scale to deliver a UK town of culture programme in 2028 that would leave a permanent cultural legacy.
“We have exciting and varied attractions and iconic venues that have seen significant investment, an array of creative talent and we’re very well connected.
“This bid will allow us to share this in new ways and invite others to experience it.”
Danny Jones -
1st May 2023 
