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Humans MCR launches its 2020 Christmas appeal to raise funds in support of Manchester families

Food poverty relief charity Humans MCR is determined not to let "COVID cancel Christmas".

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 28th October 2020
Pikrepo

Manchester-based food poverty relief charity Humans MCR is determined to not let “COVID cancel Christmas” with the launch of its 2020 Christmas Appeal.

Humans MCR – which is based on Crossley Street in Gorton – is a registered charity and foodbank that “envisions communities in which everyone has access to sufficient, nutritious food”.

With a mission to change lives in communities across Greater Manchester by providing access to food and education to build “a healthy, hunger-free future”, it analyses and responds to the root causes of food poverty, and works to give respect, health, dignity and hope to those who need it most through a suite of short and long-term solutions that tackle food insecurity faced by residents in our region.

Over the past year since the country was placed into lockdown amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Humans MCR has been focusing on altering and increasing its response through delivering free food parcels all around Greater Manchester to anyone who needs it.

Now, it’s once again turned the focus over to the festive season.

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After a successful Christmas Appeal in 2019, the mission this year is to “raise funds to support families in Manchester” – a target of £6,000 – for the provision of festive food for Christmas dinner and a gift for everyone to enjoy after what has been a turbulent time.

But your help is needed to deliver this.

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Announcing the 2020 Christmas Appeal in a post across social media yesterday, Humans MCR said: “We are launching our appeal to raise funds to support families in Manchester with the provision of items for Christmas dinner and a small gift for everyone in the home.

“So many families and individuals in our city are experiencing severe hardship because of the crisis, but we won’t let COVID cancel Christmas

“It’s our biggest appeal to date and we are looking to raise £6,000.

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“All donations we receive via our website until 17th December will go towards the appeal. We [also] welcome donations of wrapped or unwrapped gifts [and] they can be dropped off at our Gorton hub before 22nd December.

“Fresh vegetables can be donated on one day only – 22nd December (to retain freshness) – and can [also] be dropped off at our Gorton hub.

“Cash donations are always welcome via our website.

“We know this will make a huge difference to people in our communities and we will be working with our referral partners closer to the time to make sure we reach those who need it the most.”

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Are you able to lend a helping hand this Christmas?

You can find more information about the incredible work being carried out by Humans MCR, and make any donations / contributions that you wish to the 2020 appeal via its website here.

Be sure to follow Humans MCR on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Five of the best things to watch on TV this Christmas 2024

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

We all know Christmas is a hectic time.

For some of us, if the run-up to Christmas wasn’t already busy enough as it is, there’s often not a moment to breathe on the big day itself between presents being opened, travelling to see people, entertaining guests, slaving over a hot stove for hours, and eating plenty of food.

Sometimes though, you may find yourself twiddling your thumbs with some time to spare, and that’s why the distraction of festive television is so brilliant.

For others, sitting around to watch the TV is an important part of Christmas itself.

No matter what your situation is, there’s some cracking things to watch on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year – with classic seasonal films, to festive specials of our favourite shows, and a few family-friendly additions all on the agenda.

So, just like we have done for the past couple of years, we’ve once again rounded-up the best of the bunch to create our TV guide.

Here’s just five of our picks.

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Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2024

BBC One

Christmas Day – 3:55pm

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2024 / Credit: BBC

We’ve all come to expect a Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special at this point, haven’t we? After the iconic ballroom dance competition programme has been bringing us smaller, festive editions of the show we all know and love since 2004, it’s back once again this Christmas Day.

Six celebrity contestants will be taking to the floor to impress judges the judges and battle it out for the Christmas glitter ball trophy.

You can catch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One at 3:55pm on Christmas Day.

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Doctor Who Christmas Special

BBC One

Christmas Day – 5:10pm

Doctor Who Christmas Special / Credit: BBC Studios

What would Christmas be without a Doctor Who special?

The long-running sci-fi series is back where it belongs with another festive episode on Christmas Day this year, and we can’t wait.

The episode introduces Joy, played by Nicola Coughlan, who checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs, and the Doctor… but a deadly plan is unfolding across Earth, just in time for Christmas.

You can catch the Doctor Who Christmas Special on BBC One at 5:10pm on Christmas Day.

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Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

BBC One

Christmas Day – 6:10pm

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl / Credit: BBC

Wallace & Gromit make their long-awaited return with a new feature-length adventure.

Wallace and his pre-programmed smart gnome, Norbot, are the main suspects after a recent crime wave of stolen garden goods across the region… but while Wallace proclaims his innocence, it’s up to Gromit once again to battle sinister forces, or Wallace will never invent again.

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Who could possibly be behind such evil actions? Rightfully behind bars after all this time, Feathers McGraw is back with vengeance.

Directed by Nick Park, Reece Shearsmith provides the voice of Norbot, and Peter Kay is Chief Inspector Macintosh, alongside other famous names such as Diane Morgan, Adjoa Andoh, and Lenny Henry.

You can watch Wallace & Gromit: Most Vengeance Fowl on BBC One at 6:10pm on Christmas Day.

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Gavin & Stacey: The Finale

BBC One

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Christmas Day – 9pm

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale / Credit: BBC

9pm. Christmas Day 2024. The end of an era is here.

It’s been five whole years since we left Nessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy and asking him to marry her… and a lot has happened in those five years.

This Christmas, fans of the long-running sitcome will be able to join on the journey to Barry and Billericay as we catch up with the Shipmans and the Wests for the very last time, and maybe find out what exactly did happen on that fishing trip.

You can watch Gavin and Stacey: The Finale on Christmas Day on BBC One at 9pm.

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Outnumbered

BBC One

Boxing Day – 9:40pm

Outnumbered / Credit: BBC

Our final long-awaited Christmas Special comeback is here… are you ready to be Outnumbered once again?

In a moment of adversity, Sue and Pete gather all their children – who are now adults, and have their own hurdles to navigate in the real world – and one grandchild to try to celebrate a traditional family Christmas.

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Their new house is smaller, the children are bigger, and within the chaos, an uninvited house guest overstays their welcome.

You can watch Outnumbered on Boxing Day on BBC One at 9:40pm.

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Fancy something extra?

If you’ve got even more time on your hands to kill, and you’re looking to get stuck into even more festive TV action, not just being newly released this year, then we’ve rounded up what we think are 10 of the best Christmas Specials of all time.

10 of the very best British Christmas specials and episodes to watch on TV this holiday season

What’s your thoughts on this – do you agree? Or are we missing your favourite pick?

Featured Image – BBC

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Rúben Amorim’s Man United press conference interrupted by Old Trafford roof leaking – again

Danny Jones Danny Jones Old Trafford roof starts leaking during Ruben Amorim press conference

Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim has been given plenty doses of reality since arriving at Old Trafford but surely there can’t be any more telling than the stadium’s roof leaking into his press conference?

Poetic irony timed to perfection.

Not only did the new head coach have to sit in front of journalists as he tried to wrap his head around another Premier League implosion following the 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth – a team now sat in fifth, it’s worth noting – but he also got to witness the condition the stadium first hand.

And when we say first hand, we mean literally right in front of his face.

No wonder they’re crying out for that new stadium.

It’s by no means the first time we’ve seen videos of Old Trafford leaking, not even close, but they’re usually outside – though there was a clip of the away changing room with rainwater pouring out of the ceiling that appeared online.

In this instance, not only was the leak internal but Amorim’s post-match press conference was actually briefly interrupted as drops of water fell on the desk in front of him.

You can hear reporters asking what it is (they knew full well) before United’s press officer can be heard off-camera asking them to quickly move on. Sports writer Sanny Rudravajhala quipped, “A new meaning to the leaks at #mufc”, in reference to dressing room talk and lineups still being fed to the media.

Make what you will of Amorim‘s expressions in this moment but let’s just say he can’t have been expecting to have to worry about things like this when he accepted the job.

A penny for the Portugueseman’s thoughts when he looked up and saw that leak coming from the ceiling:

Read more:

The fans are fully aware of how much work needs to be done around the club and to Old Trafford, specifically, and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had made no bones about expressing the desire to build ‘Wembley of the North’ during his first year at the club.

Although many are deeply reticent to let the iconic Theatre of Dreams go after more than a century of history and sporting memories, scenes like this certainly go a long way to arguing the case for a whole new home ground rather than simply renovating as it appears to be in such a sorry state of disrepair.

But even with a brand-new state-of-the-art footballing arena, it doesn’t do anything to address improving performances on the pitch as even with eye-watering sums invested in the squad over recent years, they still look way off it and serious work needs to be done for them to catch up with the pack.

You can watch the highlights from Man United vs Bournemouth below:

The leaking roof wasn’t the only thing raining down on Amorim as the derby day high was followed by a frustrating festive low.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — BeanymanSports (screenshot via YouTube)

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