Sale Sharks rugby club have launched a brand-new mental health and wellbeing programme in partnership with children’s charity, Place2Be.
The Manchester-based team do plenty of work around local communities and their latest initiative is targeting primary school kids around Greater Manchester.
Kicking off the ‘Try2Connect’ campaign last week with a special event at Ellenbrook Community Primary School in Worsley, several Sale Sharks got involved with the launch and got both learn about and help teach them about ‘the five ways to wellbeing’.
The likes of Joe Carpenter, Georgie Perris-Redding, Molly Wright and Sharks star Ben Curry, who has been a Place2Be Champion for a number of years now, all went along to join in with the sessions and play a bit of tag rugby. Wholesome stuff.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 2 𝘽𝙚📍
We've joined forces with children’s mental health charity, @Place2Be, to launch a brand-new, school-based mental wellbeing programme called 'Try2Connect'🤝.
This project aims to promote positive mental health through workshops and tag rugby sessions!
As explained in the full announcement, Try2Connect is about promoting wellbeing and positive mental health practices from an early age, starting in the school setting in the hope that children will take the important knowledge out into the world as they grow up.
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Comprising of various classroom workshops designed around the aforementioned ‘five ways to wellbeing’, as well as more active stuff like tag rugby and other multi-sport sessions — all of which are still designed to incorporate the themes explored during lessons — the programme is set to run for the next six weeks.
Alongside the two-hour weekly sessions in and out of the classroom, the project is also aimed at promoting longevity, with a ‘Wellbeing Wall’ tailored to the individuals being built in each school, with a total of 24 schools set to benefit from the scheme over the next 12 months.
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Brilliant stuff, as is the work that Place2Be do day in, day out.
🏫 There are so many ways your school can support children's mental health in the next academic year. How about:
👕 A dress down day? 👟 A sporting challenge? 🍰 Baking?
Sale Sharks Co-Owner, Michelle Orange, said: “We’re extremely proud to have partnered with Place2Be on the launch of Try2Connect, a programme which we hope will have a positive lasting impact on children across the region and is another symbol of our commitment to supporting mental health and wellbeing.
“Starting a new rugby season is a lot like starting a new school year in many ways, each bringing their own sense of anticipation and uncertainty, and it’s important that we do what we can to encourage young people to talk about their feelings.
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“We’re all really excited about the difference we can make, using our sport to drive what is a crucial message.” You love to see it, and you can find out more about Place2Be’s vital work HERE.
With the Sharks set for a historic home semi-final against Leicester Tigers this coming weekend, it’s great to see that they’re still managing to put in just as much effort off the pitch as on it.
Featured Image — Sale Sharks (via Twitter)/Place2Be
Sport
Manchester’s Club de Padel claps back at ’embarrassing’ copycat ASOS product
Daisy Jackson
A local Manchester business has sarcastically pointed out the glaring similarities between a new t-shirt on ASOS and one of its own designs.
Club de Padel has a range of retro-inspired merch with UN:IK, a small independent streetwear brand also based here in Manchester.
Its collection of t-shirts, hoodies, tracksuits, hats and bags often feature a design of an illustrated padel ball (which to the untrained eye is basically a tennis ball) in motion.
But this week a t-shirt appeared on ASOS that also featured an illustrated padel ball in motion, just in a slightly different colour palette.
The ASOS version, which has now been removed from sale, also undercut Club de Padel’s price by £6.
Since Club de Padel took the ’embarrassing’ copycat product public on their Instagram page, ASOS has launched an investigation and taken it off their website.
The sports venture, based at Deansgate Square and the only padel club in Manchester, wrote: “Love the new designs ASOS, kinda reminds us of something though…
The ASOS t-shirt that Club de Padel has said copies their merch. Credit: ASOSClub de Padel’s t-shirt created by Manchester brand UN:IK. Credit: Club de Padel
“Ah. Well that’s embarrassing… We’ve got a new line coming soon with UN:IK Clothing you’re just gonna love ASOS.
“In the meantime we made this for you @asos, save your design team a job.”
An ASOS spokesperson said: “We take intellectual property issues very seriously and have removed this product from sale while we investigate further.”
Of the Club de Padel and UN:IK collaboration, aka the real deal, UN:IK says it has ‘served up a staple for us, retro inspired leisure pieces with Manchester’s first ever padel club’.
Club de Padel in Manchester has gone public to poke fun at ASOS
They wrote: “Inspired by owners after a trip to Spain, Club de Padel has hit the city with a wave and the lifestyle brand we have created with them reinforces the fastest growing sport across Europe.
“Our classic vintage washes and oversized fits, working with independent designs as always on this local independent partnership. Don’t be afraid to the sport, we’ll guarantee you love it as much as these clothes.”
Manchester Remembers release unbelievable new kits featuring iconic Manc landmarks for 2024 charity match
Danny Jones
The Manchester Remembers Foundation have just released the official kit designs for this year’s upcoming charity football match and they’re utterly amazing.
The 2024 Manchester Remembers charity game is fast approaching, with this year’s edition set to take place in July and the excitement is really starting to build – especially with kits as eye-catching as these.
Roping in help from local media and production company Badger and Coombes, as well as getting Lionesses legend Sue Smith involved in the kit launch, the brand new Legends and Celebs kits have finally been revealed in extremely fine fashion.
Lovingly made once again by Oldham-based kit manufacturers, Hope and Glory, and with Salfordian fashion brand Marc Darcy Menswear serving as the main sponsor, the new shirt designs feature incredibly detailed drawings of recognisable locations around Manchester. Just look at them:
— The McrRemembers Foundation™️⚽️🐝 (@McrRemembers) April 19, 2024
The 2024 Manchester Remembers kits have officially been unveiled.
As you can see, iconic Manc landmarks like Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium take pride of place in the semi-opaque sublimated pattern on both the white and black versions of the kit.
Other noticeable buildings include Manchester Cathedral, the Central Library, Manchester Central (formerly the GMEX) and even a nice little nod to the Metrolink and Bee Network, just to name a few.
The incredibly detailed design pays homage to the city we all know and love and is a big step up from the already very well-received kits from last year’s charity match.
Once again, all the proceeds from the shirt sales go straight back into the Manchester Remembers Foundation and its partnered charities, which raise money for the families of those sadly lost in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.
Celebs stripLegends kitYou can pre-order the shirts ahead of their release in May HERE and they’re very affordable compared to most footy kits these days.
With a whole host of exciting names taking part in the 2024 edition of the charitable community-driven event, including ex-Manchester United stars Antonia Valencia and Danny Simpson, local celebs like soap star Adam Thomas, YouTuber ‘Angry Ginge’ and many more, it’s going to be a momentous day.
This year marks just the third time the game has been held but the amazing people attached to this non-profit, not to mention the thousands that have turned up to see the wholesome fixture, have already helped raise over £117k for the associated charities. Unbelievable stuff.
Returning to Oldham Athletic‘s Boundary Park for the second year running, tickets for the game on Sunday, 28 July are already available and priced at only a fiver for under 16s and just £10 for adults, it’s one of the most uplifting and affordable afternoons of live sport you’ll find the region.
If you’ve not heard about this truly inspiring annual match until now, you can find out more HERE.
Danny Jones -
10th May 2023 
