Sport

Manchester’s famous 24-hour charity run for the homeless expands into three new cities

The country is getting behind not just a national crisis but a worldwide issue.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 13th August 2025

Manchester city centre’s famous 24-hour charity run, which raises money for Britain’s homeless community every year, is growing once again in 2025, with the heartwarming event expanding into a trio of new regions.

The annual 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness may have started out life here in Manchester, but last November saw it branch out for the first time ever, launching the maiden edition of The Birmingham 24 Hour Run – an instant success, with the return 12 months later confirmed soon after.

We here at The Manc have been supporting the cause for a while now, with multiple members of the team having joined both the local and Brummy editions of the run.

Now set to branch out even further in just a few months’ time, The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness is set to make its Yorkshire debut across two separate fundraising events this autumn, not to mention another event in the West Midlands this winter.

The 2024 Birmingham run saw almost £1,700 for relative homeless causes in the area, with all contributions considered: nothing short of an incredible tally for the inaugural event attended by far fewer numbers than its now well-established founding counterpart.

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It was the first time that the Manc-born and bred charity run had ever ventured out of the city, proving that the format and not just nationwide, but a global crisis is what that can be supported all over.

With that in mind, this year, The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness will be hoping to positively impact rough sleeping numbers in Leeds for the very first time, as well as Sheffield, Hereford and, of course, Birmingham once again.

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And yes, you can expect support from our friends over at The Hoot and The Sheff.

Backed by numerous local businesses, fellow non-profit organisations, run clubs, university groups, and plenty more from in and around the community, the annual fundraising relay run attracts thousands – and that’s just in Manchester.

The 24-Hour Run Against Homelessness was started by a bunch of uni students as a charitable arm of their running society, Run Wild MCR, and has since gone on to raise more than £50,000 for the ‘A Bed Every Night Scheme’.

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An amazing achievement for a crucial cause we can all get behind.

Manchester’s 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness raises a whopping £50k for ‘A Bed Every Night’

Overseen by the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity and the Labour MP himself, Andy Burnham (who is a regular attendee every year now), the event that starts at noon one day and finishes at the same time the next, has seen both regional and national news coverage.

Speaking on this year’s expansion, 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness co-founder Tom Lewis told us: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support over the years; the Manchester running community, local companies and so many other organisations have come together to make a real difference.”

“Everyone should get involved with the 2025 events as it brings communities together from across each city to help raise money to aid those in need.”

For anyone considering getting involved with this year’s charity run for the homeless around Manchester city centre, or indeed any of the other four cities hosting in 2025, you can find the dates for each and more information HERE.

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You can also watch a helpful little explainer, featuring the voice of yours truly, down below:

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness

Sport

Salford Red Devils deducted points for breaching ‘RFL operational rules’

Danny Jones Danny Jones Salford Red Devils points deduction

The situation at Salford Red Devils has once again gone from bad to even worse as the local rugby team has been deducted two points by the Super League due to breaking ‘operational rules’.

In short, following a full inquiry by the Rugby Football League (RFL), Salford Red Devils round one match against St Helens back in February was found to have breached multiple regulations – namely, fielding a weakened side.

Amid their ongoing ownership saga and financial crisis, this latest sanction sees Salford‘s total points tally drop from six to just four, and although it does not affect their final finishing place in the table (12th), it does also come with a hit to their IMG grading.

You can see the Betfred Super League statement in full down below.

As mentioned, their IMG grading – which takes into account on-field performance, finances, stadium facilities, community value and supportership in giving clubs an overall score – has also been reduced by 0.25, which, although not catastrophic, adds yet more pressure on the administration.

IMG ranking replaced relegation and promotion at the start of the year, giving each team the chance of earning up to the maximum of 20 points, with the 12 highest-scoring clubs secured for the top tier. 

The Red Devils were awarded 13.97 in October last year, which was enough to seal their admittedly already likely place in the Super League, but as problems continue to pile up around the Salford Community Stadium.

The 1873 supporter group rallied once again for another protest before the previous home game against Wakefield Trinity last week, going on to lose 52-16; meanwhile, with their already twice adjourned HMRC winding-up petition deadline now fast approaching, the period leading up to 29 October is crucial.

Acknowledging their serious test of resolve over the past 12 months or so, the club shared a post on social media on Monday night, writing: From all our players and staff to our amazing fans and the wider rugby league community, thank you!

“In a season of heartbreak, you gave us courage. Your support has meant everything.”

With players and coaches leaving, wages being left unpaid, other sides from within the division having to loan members of the squad just to keep the lights on, it’s been a year to forget and then some.

Only time will tell whether they secure the necessary funds to keep going at the top level and/or survive, full stop, but it does feel like the fans have been left praying for a miracle.

Responding in the comments below, a rival fan said: “As a Wigan supporter, Salford has been fantastic this season [even in] the worst season in the club’s history. Get them owners out [of] your club, cut the dead wood […] Never stop fighting, all the very best next season…”

Greater Manchester Mayors Andy Burnham and Paul Dennett met with RFL to explore options that would not only ensure the “long-term future of the club” but also “implement a city-wide rugby strategy” across the region.

Put simply, all hope is not yet lost, and the fans are keeping the spirit of Salford alive.

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Featured Images — Anthony Parkes (via Geograph)

Sport

Manchester City star Bernardo Silva weighs in on growing fixture list congestion concerns

Danny Jones Danny Jones Bernardo Silva says fixture list congestion is unfair

Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has become the latest Blue and high-profile Premier League player to weigh in on growing concerns around the increasingly congested fixture list.

Silva’s comments come after Man City ended up conceding an equaliser to walk away with a draw instead of three points in what was already tipped as a title-challenging clash between Pep Guardiola and his protégé, Mikel Arteta, whose Arsenal side managed to score in stoppage time.

The number of games was a big talking point after the game – as it has been on multiple ocassions over the past year or so – and captain Bernardo Silva was one of the most outspoken on the matter following the full-time whistle.

Addressing the media during his post-match duties, the ‘Cityzen’ and Portugal midfielder said the current playing schedule is “not right” and is simply untenable for footballers to keep up with. You can see the full clip down below.

He gave an extensive response to the ongoing debate.

Speaking with multiple media outlets, the 31-year-old began by clarifying that his statements were not because his team lost, but because “the reality is we cannot come to one of the most important games [against title rivals Arsenal] in the season with such a disadvantage, in terms of rest.

“It’s not fair to play one of these games like this, it’s just not right”, says the Man City man. “[Arsenal] had five days, we had two and a half. In one of the most important games, this cannot happen.

“I wasn’t feeling in a perfect condition to play, and people who have not played at the highest level don’t know how it feels to play a game like this.”

Targeting his response at the likes of UEFA and those in charge of the current and undeniably full-on schedule, specifically, Silva said: “They don’t listen to us – it is what it is. We would like to change something, but it never changes.

“It doesn’t really matter, but for the fans, for the respect of the clubs, and for the fairness of the competition, I don’t think what happened was good…”

“The schedule is the schedule, and I understand you have different competitions and UEFA, the Premier League, and broadcasters want to make their money; we don’t mind playing every three or four days, and don’t mind playing 60 games – we’re used to that, but what we ask for is common sense.”

It looks like City are putting up a united front on the matter, with Pep Guardiola sharing similar sentiments on Sky Sports (a question he quite clearly resented), stating that his squad were “incredibly tired” even going into the game.

As for the City skipper, he went on to reiterate: “This is one of the biggest games of the season. It’s not because of us, I don’t think they’re trying to make us lose – it could happen to Arsenal or Liverpool in a few months…

You need to have a bit of common sense and understanding of these situations, and in such an important game, players need to be in the same physical conditions; otherwise, I don’t think it’s fair.

In short, the senior City deputy and Portuguese international said he could tell the difference in the two teams’ fitness levels in the first half, adding: “If you play at the highest level, you know two days playing against one of the best teams in the league, away, with the travel, you need at least one more day to recover.

“It doesn’t matter if Arsenal had four, five or six days [to recover], just give us one more day, and that gives us three-and-a-half days, then you make it an even game. Two-and-a-half days is not enough to recover our bodies and perform at the highest level…”

Do you agree with Bernardo Silva and so many other players’ opinions on the fixture list congestion?

Manchester City star Rodri warns that players are ‘close’ to going on strike over too many games

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Featured Images — soccer.ru)/Sky Sports/NBC Sports (screenshot via YouTube)

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