In a wholesome bit of news coming out of Greater Manchester and crossing into Scotland, four friends from Stockport are set to take on the infamous Loch Ness 24 challenge to help raise money for The Christie Hospital.
Local brothers James and Joe Madeira, and their two lifelong friends, Joel ‘JJ’ Kinsella and Joel Walsh, first met back at Cheadle Hulme School and have been best friends ever since, but now they’re set to grow an even stronger bond by becoming teammates in one of the UK’s toughest endurance challenges.
Dubbing themselves ‘Team Lochedin’ (already off to a great start), the group of 23-year-olds will be taking on Loch Ness 24, and if you’ve never heard of it before, it’s no mean feat.
The gruelling 24-hour off-road running race can be taken on solo or as part of a team relay as participants traverse along the stunning shores of Loch Ness to complete as many seven-kilometre laps as possible along trails that weave through ancient Scottish pine forests and beaches.
Credit: The Christie (supplied)
For Team Lochedin, the event marks the South Manchester group’s first-ever ultra-marathon adventure. As James Madeira explained to The Christie: “Two of us hadn’t ever really run further than from the sofa to the fridge, so it’s fair to say a few eyebrows were raised when we first told people we were each planning to run an ultra-marathon in Scotland.
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“We decided to take on the Loch Ness 24 to show our support for the incredible work of The Christie Charity and also to challenge ourselves to our physical limits.
“Whilst we cannot fully comprehend the tough journeys faced by cancer patients, this ultra marathon pushes us out of our comfort zones and symbolises the physical and mental determination and resilience shown by the strong individuals supported by The Christie.”
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Running on behalf of their close friend Cam, as well as James and Joe’s Auntie Annie who are both undergoing cancer treatment at the moment, they said that getting to undertake this “adventure together makes it even more special”, noting that The Christie has played a role in each of their lives at one point or another.
James went on to add: “We have witnessed first-hand the unbelievable care and support provided by the hospital to a number of our friends and family members at a time when they needed it most […] we feel that we have a duty to raise money for this incredible hospital and play a tiny part in contributing towards an amazing charity and foundation.”
The lads have been training up hard around Manchester over the past few months, as well as undergoing an intense training camp in Wales, uploading their runs to Strava and getting plenty of group runs done together in the process.
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Admitting there’s a potent mix of excitement and nerves, the knowledge that they’re running on behalf pf such an important cause is keeping them motivated, joking, “If we spot Nessie along the way, well, that’s just a bonus!”
Aiming to complete a total of 200 kilometres during the 24-hour period with at least one team member running at all times, they’ve got some serious graft ahead of them, so if you want to help spur them on by doing your bit, you can donate to their fundraiser HERE.
A massive World Cup ‘playground’ with pitches and big screens has opened in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A massive World Cup ‘playground’ has now opened in Greater Manchester.
Ahead of England’s first match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup tonight against Croatia, MediaCity has announced its biggest programme of events to date to celebrate – from a baller league-style football pitch, to big name creator takeovers, and much more.
But at the heart of all the action is the new World Cup ‘playground’, where football fans will be able to play five-a-side on a bespoke pitch, while watching matches on giant screens.
As the home of the BBC’s World Cup coverage, MediaCity says it’s ‘going big’ this summer, and that includes bringing some of the UK’s biggest Gen Z creators down for full takeovers and tournaments, and even getting the BBC pundits involved in the action too.
A massive World Cup ‘playground’ has opened in Greater Manchester / Credit: Sophia Carey (Supplied)
There’ll also be a pop-up gaming hub with EA FC tournaments for fans to play along, as well as community football sessions for young people organised by Manchester United Foundation and Foundation 92, providing opportunities for local talent to learn from the best in the business and develop their skills in a safe and inclusive environment.
Fans can also enjoy live music, DJ sets, and football-themed quizzes to get the atmosphere building, as well as tuck into tasty street food from the traders at the newly opened GRUB On The Docks.
And of course, the place will be packed with photo opportunities and fan installations too.
“As the nerve centre of BBC’s World Cup coverage, we’re turning MediaCity into the ultimate football playground,” commented Alice Webb, who is the CEO of MediaCity.
“As well as broadcasting the World Cup, MediaCity will unite fans, families and communities, bringing them closer to the action with in-person experiences throughout the tournament. Combining our world-class media platform with unrivalled public experiences is what makes us different.
“Come down and get stuck in.”
Featured Image – Supplied
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You can win two VIP tickets to a Co-op Live show as part of a heartwarming Manc charity raffle
Danny Jones
Fancy bagging yourself the posh treatment at the biggest indoor gig and live entertainment venue in the city? Well, you can do just that by entering the latest Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity raffle, which is offering a pair of VIP tickets to a Co-op Live show.
All you have to do is simply do your bit for a crucial local cause.
It’s one that we’ve worked closely with in the past on many occasions: the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, which helps house rough sleepers across the region.
Teaming up with The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness – which was created specifically to generate funds for this ongoing crisis – as well as an upcoming community social, all you have to do to be in with a chance is put your name down for a cheap raffle ticket.
Writing in the caption of the post, the Mayor’s Charity has revealed that “Cross Club Social and The Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness are teaming up to raffle off 2x VIP Co-op Live tickets to a show of your choosing.”
That’s right, not just any random show – you get to pick which one you fancy going along to in style.
With the 2026 edition of the annual fundraising relay event, on behalf of Greater Manchester’s homeless community, taking place this November (find out more on the GMMC website and keep up to date with us here at The Manc for the latest) they’re hoping to get the donations going nice and early.
For anyone unaware, the Cross Club Social, or ‘XCS’, has been going for a few years now; it brings together runners from all over the 10 boroughs for a big post-race party, all whilst raising money for charitable organisations.
DJs, karaoke, quizzing, three full rooms, an entire beer garden to themselves, and MUCH more. 👀
The next edition will be taking place this Friday, 19 June, over at the award-winning Fairfield Social Club, where an all-day party will run, pardon the pun, well into the night.
Better still, entrants into the raffle don’t have to wait long to find out if they’re a winner, as the lucky recipient is set to be announced the following Saturday (20 Jun) after the big shindig over on the XCS Instagram page.
The Mayor’s Charity team signed off by adding, “Good luck and together, we will end homelessness” – a mission that many Manc groups, especially, have been working so hard to make possible in recent times.
For instance, last year alone, the aforementioned 24 Hour Run, whose team will be in attendance and taking donations for at XCS 2026, generated a whopping £70k, and the total tally has now reached truly life-changing sums.
As for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity raffle, you can grab a ticket HERE for just a fiver to secure your chance to go along to a VIP night at Co-op Live. Fingers crossed!
Danny Jones -
15th August 2024 
