The ‘Stronger Communities Fund’ is one of the charity’s most successful programmes to date and one it’s “immensely proud” of after having supported over 100 local groups and charities to deliver great work in Manchester’s unbeatable communities throughout the last 10 years, and today’s re-launch and new injection of funds means 2021 is going to be another massive year for the scheme.
But in order for the charity to continue to best help Manchester in its post-COVID recovery work, We Love MCR wants local communities to tell them what they need.
This is why the ‘Stronger Communities Fund’ is callingon community groups and charities to apply for funding for initiatives which celebrate and invest in Manchester’s “vibrant multicultural neighbourhoods and youthful energy”.
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Now that the COVID-19 vaccination programme is well underway right across the UK and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has last week unveiled the government’s roadmap to reopen society and take England out of its current national lockdown in a series of four stages, many community groups are preparing to emerge from a period of hibernation and isolation, and are assessing the holes left in their operations and finances.
We Love MCR Charity is therefore asking Mancunians directly if they know of any groups in their communities that could benefit from a cash grant from the newly re-launched fund.
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Our Stronger Communities Fund has been operating for over 10 years in Mcr!
We're reinforcing the success it has already achieved by: ⬆️ increasing the maximum grant from £2k to £5k ⏰ scrapping the 2 year time limit for re-applications ? pledging an extra £215,000 to the fund
So, what does the re-launch of the ‘Stronger Communities Fund’ mean then?
Well, as well as focusing on assisting the city in its recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the fund’s relaunch includes two other new developments – the maximum grant value is increasing from £2,000 to £5,000, and also the two-year time limit after a successful grant application is being scrapped.
As We Love MCR Charity believes in “funding great ideas whenever a community is ready to get started on their project”, these two new developments mean that groups are now able to re-apply to the Stronger Communities Fund just 12 months after a successful award from We Love MCR Charity, as opposed to previously being required to wait two years.
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And if that wasn’t brilliant enough as it is, We Love MCR Charity is also pledging a healthy £215,000 to the fund from 1st April 2021 to reinforce its “commitment to Manchester’s people and communities”.
Speaking on the re-launch of the fund, Councillor Tommy Judge – Lord Mayor of Manchester and Chair of Trustees at We Love MCR Charity – says: “The Stronger Communities Fund re-launch simply could not come at a better time for Manchester [as] the people of this city have lost loved ones, livelihoods and opportunities during this pandemic, and therefore it is the people who are best placed to steer their communities out of the pandemic.
“Often what they need most is support and funding, and We Love MCR Charity will support our city brilliantly now, as it has done for many years.”
Marie O’Neill-Steinegger – Grants Manager at We Love MCR Charity – added: “We’ve supported many amazing groups over the last 10 years, and this year we want to support many more.
“Today we’re underlining our commitment to Manchester’s local groups and charities by offering them our financial support.
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“Our communities know what they need to do to improve things for their neighbours”.
And who could be better positioned to talk about the benefits of the ‘Stronger Communities Fund’ than some of the fund’s recent grant recipients?
A spokesperson for the Greater Manchester branch of youth homelessness charity Depaul UK and Nightstop said: “Having all these extra library resources funded by the Stronger Communities Fund is very positive for our residents [as] they can now access the right support and skills before they move on to their own accommodation.
“It also makes our accommodation feel more like a home and less like an institution, which has a huge impact on our residents’ wellbeing”.
A spokesperson for Hoshindo Karate Manchester added: “We Love MCR Charity made the whole process of applying to the Stronger Communities Fund really simple [and] their grant is helping us to empower our young people, at a time when funding for activities for young people is hard to find”.
Do you know an amazing community group or charity that does fantastic work for your area in Manchester and could benefit from the ‘Stronger Communities Fund’?
Then now is your chance to tell We Love MCR Charity all about them.
The fund welcomes applications across four broad themes:
Helping in the Early Years
Combating Loneliness and Social Exclusion
Protecting and Improving our Open Spaces
Offering Positive Youth Activities
To nominate a community group or charity in your area, all you need to do is head on over to We Love MCR Charity’s social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – to give them a shout out, and then visit We Love MCR Charity’s website here to make an application and find out more information.
Or you can email the charity today at [email protected] with your ideas and questions.
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We Love MCR Charity’s Trustees meet monthly to consider applications and to award grants, and the next two deadlines to submit applications for funding are 5th March and 2nd April.
Keen to donate to We Love MCR Charity? You can also do that here.
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Channel 4 to air exclusive new documentary about the disappearance and death of Lancashire teen Jay Slater
Emily Sergeant
An exclusive new documentary taking an inside look at the the disappearance of Jay Slater is coming to Channel 4.
On the morning of 17 June 2024, 19-year-old Jay Slater – an apprentice bricklayer from the Lancashire town of Oswaldtwistle – disappeared on the island of Tenerife in Spain, after attempting to walk 14 hours back to his accommodation when there was no local taxi service available and no bus due for 90 minutes.
From then commenced one of the biggest missing persons cases in recent British history.
As the world’s media were following the story minute by minute last summer, producers at Channel 4 were in the incredibly-unique position where they had access to the Coronial process in Lancashire, and this has led to the exclusive documentary title The Disappearance of Jay Slater.
From Jay’s post-mortem to Jay’s inquest, the team have been with the family every step of the way over the last year, as they try and understand exactly what happened to Jay outside of the public gaze
Jay was ultimately pronounced dead on 15 July 2024 after Spanish police reported the discovery of a body in the vicinity of the area of interest, but before this discovery and eventual announcement, the internet became awash with public discourse, conspiracy theories, and more.
The Disappearance of Jay Slater is described as being ‘the family’s story’.
Channel 4 will air an exclusive new documentary about the disappearance and death of Lancashire teen Jay Slater / Credit: GoFundMe
The documentary is set to follow them as they search for answers about what happened to Jay, witnessing the conspiracy theories raging online and the subsequent horrific abuse they received as a family – which is an hourly onslaught that continues to this day.
These cameras were the only media in the world granted full access to film both Jay’s post-mortem and inside the church at his funeral.
But the broadcaster claims this documentary is not only the story of Jay’s tragedy, it’s also the story of ‘the new world we live in’ where so-called true crime armchair detectives run wild.
“The story of Jay Slater captured the nation last summer with a fervour and intensity fuelled by armchair detectives and internet culture,” commented Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor, Rita Daniels, ahead of the documentary airing.
“We are so glad to be working on a sensitively handled exploration of the family’s experience, and understanding the impact of being in the middle of a social media storm, amplified by grief.
“The film holds a light up to our current society and is exactly the story that is a necessity for Channel 4 to tell.”
Executive Producer Anna Hall added: “It is appalling what has happened to Jay’s family, and we hope this film will help to bring awareness of the real life consequences of online speculation. It is an unmonitored world where fake news runs rife, and this film shows the devastating impact this has had on one grieving family.”
The Disappearance of Jay Slater is expected to air on Channel 4 later this year, but no official dates have been confirmed as of yet, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – GoFundMe
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‘Best signing of the summer’: Stockport County fans react to Dave Challinor’s new contract
Danny Jones
Stockport County fans are buzzing with their first and arguably ‘biggest’ signing of the summer, as manager Dave Challinor has penned a new contract at Edgeley Park.
The majority of match-goers in Stockport have fallen in love with Challinor over the past few years, with the former County centre-back having now spent nearly four years as the boss and overseeing one of the best periods in their history during that time.
With seven promotions across four different clubs, three of those coming at Edgeley Park, he’s been touted as one of the EFL‘s most underrated and quietly successful coaches in recent times.
All that being said, and with the 49-year-old now signing a new deal at the club, supporters like those behind the popular The Scarf Bergara Wore fan podcast have said, “Could be the best signing of our summer, that” – a similar sentiment has been echoed in pretty much everyone’s reaction.
Congratulations to Dave, a superb manager – would expect Stockport to play in the Championship in that time. Not many can say they’ve had success everywhere they’ve been, but he can
As you can see, while some jokingly said they were waiting to hear former Aston Villa loanee Louie Barry had been re-signed, the overwhelming consensus is that this is “superb news” for the thriving Greater Manchester side.
Having only just missed out on yet another promotion, which would have seen SCFC back in the Championship after more than two decades (having last spent time in the second division during the 2002/23 campaign, lasting just one season), keeping him tied down wasn’t a certainty.
The Chester-born ex-pro turned manager has attracted plenty of interest since his heroics at AFC Fylde and now at Stockport County, but owner and Vita Group founder, Mark Stott, as well as CEO Simon Wilson and the rest of the board were more than ready to reward his efforts with a new three-year deal.
If all goes to plan, this will see him remain at the club until at least 2028 if they make it into the Championship as planned, who knows how much longer after that.
Speaking on the new contract, Dave Challinor said via an official club statement, “I’m delighted to extend my stay at the Club beyond the end of the upcoming season. Last season gives me even more motivation to improve and aim to meet the shared objectives we have.
“I’m still highly ambitious, and feel that what we have built here over the last three-and-a-half years makes County somewhere that I want to continue to build, alongside my staff, players and everyone involved at the Club.”
‘Chally’ went on to add: “Last season gives me even more motivation to improve and aim to meet the shared objectives we have.
“I’m still highly ambitious, and feel that what we have built here over the last three-and-a-half years makes County somewhere that I want to continue to build, alongside my staff, players and everyone involved at the Club.
“A manager’s tenure at any football club is getting shorter and shorter, and I feel proud to have been at Edgeley Park for as long as I have. That comes from the trust placed in me by Mark and Simon to come in and have a positive impact, and I thank them both for that.”
Emily Sergeant -
3rd March 2021 
