Firefighters, volunteers, and staff from across Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) have raised thousands to support the people of Ukraine.
And they say it’s all thanks to “the generosity of people” across the region.
Last weekend, fire stations across Greater Manchester held charity car wash events, and colleagues from across GMFRS as well as Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) all chipped in to wash cars and collect donations from members of the public, which eventually tallied up to an impressive £32,000.
15 different fire stations across Greater Manchester held events across the two days.
GMFRS says all of the money raised will be shared with Greater Manchester-based frontline medical aid charity UK-Med – which has launched an emergency appeal backed by the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
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“I’m incredibly proud of the hard work of all our firefighters, support staff and volunteers over the weekend [as] together we washed thousands of cars and raised thousands of pounds to go towards vital supplies for Ukraine,” said Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel on the success of the event.
He continued: “We stand in solidarity with Ukraine and will do whatever we can to support all those affected by the devastating and tragic events that continue to unfold.
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“The car washing days are just one of the ways the service is helping this vital cause.
WOW! What a day 🇺🇦🚒🧽
Thanks to all our colleagues and volunteers who washed cars today and all those who brought their vehicles along and donated for @UKMed
— Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) March 12, 2022
“I’d like to thank everyone that came along to the car washes, whether that be to wash cars, bring food supplies for our staff, or have a vehicle washed for a donation.
“We are overwhelmed by the support and generosity of the people of Greater Manchester.”
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The car wash events came as firefighters continue to support local charities with the ongoing humanitarian effort, which has also included crews helping with the sorting and distributing of donations at the Bury Polish Centre, and distributing aid to warehouses in Trafford Park before they are shipped to Poland.
GMFRS said they had heard plenty of “heartwarming” stories of the community’s generosity and support over the weekend.
At Marple fire station, local residents Alan and Joyce donated the £100 that they would have spent celebrating their recent 50th wedding anniversary, and Rochdale fire station, emergency service colleagues from Greater Manchester Police and North West Ambulance Service helped firefighters and GMFRS staff to clean cars.
When firefighters at Farnworth fire station were called out to an emergency incident, members of the public took it upon themselves to wash cars and still donated generously.
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15 different fire stations across Greater Manchester held events across the two days this past weekend / Credit: GMFRS
GMFRS also received thanks from local residents and organisations with links to Ukraine.
At Whitefield fire station, a resident from Ukraine dropped by to thank crews and volunteers, while at Agecroft, members of the Eccles Polish Centre also gave their thanks and sandwiches to GMFRS staff, who have recently been helping to sort donations at the centre.
The fire service’s fundraising efforts aren’t ending there either.
Later this week, a team of volunteers from GMFRS will join a national convoy to deliver fire and rescue equipment to support firefighters on the frontline in Ukraine.
Manchester City hit with backlash from season ticket holders after ‘divisive’ North Stand update
Danny Jones
Manchester City have shared a new update on the impending North Stand expansion and concourse upgrade, but the most recent reveal has been met with plenty of backlash from supporters set to suffer the consequences.
The Etihad is currently undergoing a major transformation that will see numerous new facilities added to the wider campus experience – most notably the increased capacity of the North Stand, which will make room for a further 7,000 or so fans.
Back in March, the club revealed the official brand partners for their upcoming on-site hotel, which will also accompany a new sky bar and rooftop stadium walk experience as part of the wider plans, but while adding more seats and things for matchgoers to do sounds good on paper, it’s come at a cost for many.
Reacting to the news of social media, many regular fans are now set to be forced out of their seats to make way for more hospitality sections at the end of the stadium, meaning the post has proved ‘divisive’ to say the least.
Are you joking? I’ve sat in the same seat for almost 20 years and this is how I find out I’m ‘relocating’. It’s an absolute disgrace the way you’re treating loyal fans in favour of tourists. I was there when we were shit, do you think they will be here if we go to shit again?
As you can see, both Blues, neutrals, and even rivals alike are expressing their shock and disappointment in not only the decision but the manner in which the announcement was made.
One person said on X: “You turfed me and hundreds of others out of our seats four seasons ago when you dug them up for digital signage. We were all split up and had to scrape around for new seats. Had enough of all the new rules and digital tickets/transfers. I sit on my sofa now and save £3k.
Reply in the comments underneath the response, a Manchester United fan added: “I don’t like City, but this is something I can stand with [fans] on.”
Even well-known online commentators like ‘HLTCO’ (Hopkin Looking To Curl One), a.k.a. Dan Cook – a notable Crystal Palace die-hard – shared his two cents online.
“Man City season ticket holders are being told that they’re being permanently moved from the seats they’ve had for years to accommodate a new corporate seating area”, he wrote, adding: “This is the sort of thing that fans everywhere have to push back against; these clubs see us as a nuisance.”
In terms of what the stadium overhaul looks like, the latest CGIs show the first proper glimpse of the new ‘Cross Bar’ that will “offer a relaxed, social atmosphere” for around 300 fans, as well as the new ‘City Hall’ concourse area, which will cater to around 500 punters both on game-days and beyond.
As detailed in the full statement on the club website, they have insisted that they will be supporting those “may need to move seats ahead of the commencement of the 2026/27”, clarifying that no one will need to be relocated to accommodate the Cross Bar, specifically.
They go on to add: “We understand that relocating seats may be unsettling, and we are here to support these fans”. They have promised things like a “priority relocation window” and, most crucially, a guarantee that they won’t have to pay more to sit in what is typically a more expensive stadium block.
However, while they have also assured that people will be able to move groups of seats so as to stay around their friends, as explained by a user above, this is easier said than done and ticket uncertainty remains a big concern among the fan base.
What do you make of the latest Etihad Stadium news, City fans?
A first look into the highly-anticipated TV soap crossover ‘Corriedale’ has just dropped
Thomas Melia
The wait is nearly over for TV soap fans, as producers behind the highly-anticipated ‘Corriedale’ crossover have just dropped an exclusive first look.
Whether you’re team Coronation Streetor team Emmerdale, this show has all areas covered as it merges both the iconic TV soaps into an hour-long special.
Now, it feels like Christmas has come early as pictures of two very distinctive cast members smiling next to each other while filming the crossover episode have been released.
In the newly-released images we can see Vicky Myers, known for playing the assertive and dedicated DS Lisa Swain, representing the Manchester-based production Coronation Street.
Vicky Myers (DS Lisa Swain) and Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle) pictured together ahead of upcoming TV soap crossover Corriedale / Credit: ITV Press Centre (Supplied)
Stood by her side is Danny Miller known for his role as the complex and vulnerable Aaron Dingle in Leeds-based hit soap Emmerdale.
Both can be seen on-set and are pictured in front of a white trailer filming for the upcoming Corriedale special.
Although the shows are set just a one hour’s drive away from each other, separated by The Pennines, this soap special marks the first time that characters from each drama will have ever crossed paths.
Most details for this soap crossover are being kept very tight-lipped although filming kicked off in September with this latest update marking the first-ever major cast announcement for Corriedale.
ITV Executive Producer for Continuing Drama Iain Macleod said: “It’s beyond exciting that filming is under way on Corriedale.
“There is a massive buzz around both the Leeds and Manchester sites and the images coming out of the shoot are utterly spectacular. And that’s before we’ve even got to all the brilliant transpennine interactions between characters from the different shows!
“As a soap fan myself, I think my head is going to explode when the episode airs next year. It will be mind-blowing, historical and unmissable.”
Corriedale is coming to our TV screens in early 2026 and heralds the start of a new soap power hour with 30 minute episodes of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale to air every weekday.
Emily Sergeant -
16th March 2022 
