News

Stockport County launch campaign to feed vulnerable children at Christmas

Stockport County FC have announced the launch of their Food for Christmas campaign which will help provide meals for children in the Stockport area over the Christmas break.

Kate Jackson Kate Jackson - 4th November 2020
Smabs Sputzer / Flickr

Stockport County FC have announced the launch of their Food for Christmas campaign which will help provide meals for children in the local area over the Christmas holidays. 

The campaign follows the government’s decision to reject proposals spearheaded by Marcus Rashford’s #endchildfoodpoverety campaign, which would have seen the distribution of free school meal vouchers extended into half term and across the Christmas period. 

County are aiming to raise the £220,000 needed to support families who use food vouchers and the estimated 7,500 children in the Stockport area who may go without food during this time.

The club is yet another in a long list across Greater Manchester who have stepped up to help those struggling in the local community. 

The owner of the club, Mark Stott, said: “This is a topic very close to my heart, growing up my mum relied on free school meals for both myself and my sister and it is devastating to think so many families will struggle over the Christmas period. I’d like to thank Marcus Rashford and everyone else who has campaigned and raised awareness on the subject. 

ADVERTISEMENT

“We appreciate it’s been a difficult and uncertain time for lots of people this year but I’d like to call on all our fans and corporate sponsors, who find themselves in a more fortunate position to make a donation, anything they can afford, however large or small it all helps towards our goal of giving these families a Christmas to look forward to.”

Stockport council provided the money needed during half-term to distribute vouchers to eligible families and the club want to make sure this is replicated over the Christmas period with their own donation.

ADVERTISEMENT

Following Stott’s personal donation of £100,000, the club are hoping to reach their £220,000 target by raising money through sales at the Club Shop, corporate sponsorship and fan donations. 

County will also be partnering with local charity Sector 3 to raise the funds.

You can make donations to the Food for Christmas campaign here.

News

Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre

Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.

The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.

Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.

A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.

Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.

It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.

Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

News

Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.

As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.

Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.

The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.

Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.  

Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.

The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.

Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.

Read more:

“Help us be a lifeline to organisations on the frontline,” Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity urged in it’s public appeal for donations.

You can help make sure ‘A Bed Every Night’ is a reality for all by donating here.

Featured Image – EthelRedThePetrolHead (via Flickr)

More News

Crime

Former Manchester police officer jailed after sexually assaulting a child while on duty

City Centre

Manchester’s libraries will become ‘warm spaces’ with free hot drinks and Wi-Fi again this winter

The Manchester 24 Hour Charity Run Against Homelessness 2024

City Centre

Manchester’s 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness returns with its biggest venue host yet for 2024

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches