In what was one of the more bizarre things to happen yesterday, Andy Burnham met the Pope and gave him a Manchester United shirt.
And people were, understandably, quite puzzled by the whole thing.
It goes without saying that if you were one of several thousand people who saw the now-viral pictures of the Mayor of Greater Manchester meeting the head of the worldwide Catholic Church yesterday in the Vatican, then it’s only natural you’d probably questioning as to why.
Especially when you throw into the mix the fact the Pope was also given a signed and framed Manchester United shirt of Argentinian defender Lisandro Martínez as a gift.
But despite the public confusion, there was actually a very good reason as to why Andy Burnham was joined by several of Greater Manchester‘s other civic leaders and members of the faith community as he met Pope Francis in the Vatican City yesterday – and it was all to pledge a commitment to tackling climate change ahead of Earth Day 2023.
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Burnham and the other leaders were given the chance to discuss with the Pope how Greater Manchester is making efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
They then also made a formal commitment in his presence on the action they pledge to take in future.
Greater Manchester faith and civic leaders have gathered at the Vatican this morning to meet with Pope Francis. They will discuss how Gtr Manchester is tackling climate change and pledge commitments for the future. Full story here: https://t.co/Z1G4oMhiJI#OurFaithOurPlanetpic.twitter.com/izygDfgOQV
The group was led by Bishop of Salford John Arnold and Dean of Manchester Rogers Govender, and as well as Burnham, was also made up of the Lord Mayor of Manchester Donna Ludford, Bishop of Manchester David Walker, Gorton MP Mohammed Afzal Kahn, and Chair of the Manchester Climate Change Partnership Mike Wilton.
City Centre Methodist Minister Reverend Ian Rutherford, Rabbi Robyn Ashworth Steen from the Manchester Reform Synagogue, environmental officers from both the Diocese of Manchester and Salford, and members of the Sikh and Hindu communities also attended.
This is why Andy Burnham met the Pope and gave him a Manchester United shirt / Credit: Andy Burnham (via Twitter)
“This is the first time that all the faith leaders of Greater Manchester have come together with civic leaders to agree our pledge for a greener Greater Manchester region,” Mayor Andy Burnham explained after the meeting yesterday,
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“It will give me great pride to be at The Vatican to witness the historic moment our faith and civic leaders make our commitment to the Holy Father.”
Although the reason as to why he was given a signed Manchester United shirt as a gift hasn’t exactly been confirmed, the fact Pope Francis is also from Argentina just like Lisandro Martínez, this does give some context.
Gracias al @ManUtd y @AndyBurnhamGM por entregarle mi camiseta a su santidad el papa Francisco, por quien siento un gran respeto y un orgullo enorme como argentino! 🙏🏼♥️ pic.twitter.com/EqK868eixe
Martínez said of the meeting on Twitter: “Thanks to Manchester United and Andy Burnham for giving my shirt to His Holiness Pope Francis, for whom I feel great respect and enormous pride as an Argentine.”
He was apparently also given a Manchester City shirt as well, probably for a bit of equal representation, although this detail didn’t go quite as viral, and it hasn’t been confirmed which player’s name was on the back of the shirt.
Featured Image – Manchester Cathedral
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Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
21st April 2023 
