There’s no denying that it won’t be for everyone, but one of Manchester’s longest-running charities, We Love MCR Charity, is holding a unique Manchester Firewalk Challenge in one of the city centre’s most iconic locations in less that a week’s time.
Following on from the success of its Landmarks of Manchester 10K – which saw hundreds dig their running shoes out between March and July to raise some money and fall in love with the city all over again once lockdown restrictions first began to lift – the charity is keen to keep the theme of Manchester’s iconic locations going.
Training for the daring challenge has been taking place at the historic Manchester Central Library this week, before the event itself arrives at St Peter’s Square on Wednesday 13 October.
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But if you fancy giving it a go for yourself, the charity is encouraging last-minute sign-ups to pop their name down and give it a go.
Just 1 WEEK to go til our Sponsored Firewalk in the heart of Manchester! 🔥
❤️ £15 fee ❤️ £100< fundraising target ❤️ an opportunity to do something unforgettable while raising funds for our work with the city's communities & young people 🐝
Some familiar faces are taking part in the challenge too – including the just-announced ex-Love Islander, influencer and Mancunian resident Rosie Williams, who is the charity’s newest Ambassador – so you won’t be braving it alone.
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“It sounds crazy, but I was thrilled to be asked to take on We Love MCR Charity’s Firewalk as one of my first challenges,” said Cllr Donna Ludford, Deputy Lord Mayor of Manchester.
“Doing this to raise money for Manchester’s communities and young people is a fantastic idea [and] I can’t wait to learn the secrets of walking on hot coals.
“I hope that lots of fellow Mancunians will join me.”
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The Manchester Firewalk Challenge is this year being sponsored by Manchester-based IT company Sync – which has been powering organisations throughout the UK with the latest technology to keep them moving for the last 30 years – and all funds raised by those with the guts to take the walk will go directly towards We Love MCR Charity.
“After awarding £1 million to frontline groups tackling problems in the pandemic, we need to raise new funds,” explained Ged Carter, We Love MCR Charity’s Manager.
“We plan to award a further half a million pounds this year to our local communities to help them recover, and to ambitious young Mancunians to help them to take their next steps to success [but] we can do nothing without the public’s support.
“And we know there are plenty of people who love Manchester too, who would fancy taking on this bucket-list challenge to support our local communities.”
“Places are limited, so sign up today before you miss the chance,” he added.
Registration for the Manchester Firewalk Challenge costs just £15 per participant, and you must commit to raising sponsorship for We Love MCR Charity as an individual online sponsorship page is automatically created for as part of the sign-up process.
All participants will receive full safety guidance on the evening, and learn how to do the seemingly-impossible by walking over burning coals with training led by fully-trained and renowned experts in this field.
As mentioned, funds raised will go towards helping the We Love MCR Charity continue to carry out its vital work throughout the city of Manchester, and will particularly support the organisation’s Manchester Rising Stars programme – which helps young people to succeed in their chosen paths.
Events on the night will be captured by one of the charity’s ‘Rising Stars’, who has been awarded camera equipment to get started in their ambition to become a professional photographer, and another beneficiary of the fund, who is an aspiring DJ, will provide inspiring tunes to build the atmosphere as the brave firewalkers step out.
“The event really is by Manchester, in Manchester, for Manchester,” Ged concluded.
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Reckon you’ve got what it takes to walk bare foot over 500-degree hot coals? / Credit: We Love MCR Charity
Fancy giving it a crack then?
You can find more information about the challenge, sponsor the “brave souls” taking part, and most importantly, sign up to the Firewalk via the We Love MCR Charity website here.
Featured Image – We Love MCR Charity
What's On
An adults-only ‘after hours’ event is happening at the Science and Industry Museum next week
Emily Sergeant
If you need an excuse to leave the little Mancs at home, then one of Manchester’s most visited museums might have just what you’re looking for.
Fancy releasing your inner child?
If you’re keen to play your way through 50 years of video games, embark on an adventure through the digestive system, or relax with a drink while discovering the small matter of the infinite vastness of the universe, then you’ll probably want to make your way down to the Science and Industry Museum next week.
With the nights drawing earlier than ever now autumn is here, this is your chance to explore the museum in a whole new light after the sun’s gone down.
Explore the museum after hours at our next adult-only, evening event on 5 Oct. 🎟️ https://t.co/GVUYI3D8UE
Play your way through 50 years of video games in Power Up, embark on a playful adventure through the digestive system in Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You, experience a… pic.twitter.com/NRIqNp7tQi
It’s giving grown-ups a unique opportunity to make the most of all the museum’s best-loved exhibitions without the kids running around.
Kicking off from 6pm next Thursday 5 October, tickets to the one-off Museum After Hours event are now on sale, and include evening passes to the museum’s showstopping special exhibitions ‘Power Up’ and ‘Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You’, as well as access to the popular Revolution Manchester, Textiles Gallery, and Experiment areas.
There’ll also be the chance to see Paul Miller’s MicroCosmic installation, as well as talk to the artist himself, and get involved with lots of drop-in activities too.
An adults-only ‘after hours’ event is happening at the Science and Industry Museum next week / Credit: Science Museum Group
Several exciting textile demonstrations will also be taking place throughout the evening.
And of course, because this is an adults-only event, the museum’s events bar will be popping up on the night, and will be serving up a wide range of wines, beers, and non-alcoholic drinks to wet your whistle while you’re looking around.
WHP23 announces final show UP YA ARCHIVES and Sports Banger collaboration
Georgina Pellant
This morning the iconic Manchester party series The Warehouse Project (WHP) has revealed its final show for its 2023 season.
The final show is an absolute corker, seeing the series conclude with a curated show from Leeds-born, Manchester-bred record producer, DJ, and songwriter Nia Archives on Friday 8 December.
The BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year has put together a belting line-up, bringing together the likes of Shy FX, Skream, underground UKG and Asian revivalist Yung Singh, a debut Special Request B2B Clipz, and more for the series’ final show of the season.
Awarded BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year last year, Nia Archives is set to return this season with her very own debut curated show at The Warehouse Project, UP YA ARCHIVES.
Image: Nia Archives
Image: Nia Archives
No stranger to the Depot Mayfield domain, Nia Archives released a spooky ‘Off Wiv Ya Headz’ remix of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s ‘Heads Will Roll’ earlier this year which was born out of her Halloween set at The Warehouse Project last season.
A true champion of the DIY spirit and one of dance music’s most exciting prospects, Nia Archives is set to bring her unique sonic palette to the warehouse – taking over the three stages of Depot, Concourse, and Archive.
Joining Nia on the nightwill be the UK’s finest and freshest talents across DnB, jungle, dubstep, and UKG – including the likes of Shy FX, Skream, Yung Singh, Interplanetary Criminal, salute, a special debut b2b set from Clipz and Special Request, and more announced below.
Commenting on her first UP YA ARCHIVES at The Warehouse Project, Nia Archives, said: “Am so buzzin to curate ‘UP YA ARCHIVES’ at The Warehouse Project in December!!
“Manchester is a special place to me and am so gassed I’ve got to book so many of ma favourite artists + DJ’s to play alongside me, can’t wait! Tickets on sale Friday @ 10am!!”
The Warehouse Project and Sports Banger collaboration
Image: Sports Banger
The Warehouse Project has also announced this morning that it has joined forces with London’s independent label and provocateur Sports Banger, which has taken the party and fashion scenes by storm since its conception in 2013.
This 2023 season marks an exciting collaboration as founder, curator, and raver Jonny Banger has designed a capsule collection for WHP23 merchandise.
The Sports Banger x WHP23 merchandise will drop as a limited run featuring heavyweight hoodies and crewneck t-shirts.
Clothing will be available to purchase on-site from this weekend, Friday 29 September, at WHP merchandise stall across the remaining shows this season. Some proceeds from the sales will go to charity partners – Manchester South Central Foodbank and Mad Dogs Homeless Project.
This year also sees Sports Banger embark on a new project as the genre-defying, boundary-breaking fashion collective is set to publish an illustration book Sports Banger: Lifestyle of the poor, rich & famous to celebrate the irreverent brand’s first ten years featuring archive images and essays. The book is due for release on October 26.
Commenting on the collaboration, the man behind Sports Banger, Jonny Banger, said: “This is an exciting project for us, to collaborate with one of the UK’s long-standing club series.
“We look forward to launching the first capsule collection for WHP23 which features some core Sports Banger designs with a nod to The Warehouse Project and its home city Manchester.”