More than 200 young people from Manchester United Foundation’s partner schools were joined by Phallon Tullis-Joyce for our first Eco Reds celebration of the 2025/26 season, aptly taking place at Manchester Museum.

The Reds goalkeeper, a degree-educated marine biologist and certified deep-sea diver, has previously led sessions focused on environmental subjects at our partner schools, including at Stretford High Close, close to Old Trafford.

As someone so passionate about celebrating the diversity of the various organisms and ecosystems of our planet, Phallon is the perfect embodiment of the values of Eco Reds, which is the Foundation’s own environment and sustainability programme, and aims to give young people the knowledge and skills they need to protect the planet for future generations.

Phallon said: “Manchester Museum was one of the first places I visited when I first arrived here two years ago. Being able to connect the Eco Reds with the museum has been really special and so nice to see.

“It’s the breadth of Manchester United Foundation through the Eco Reds, and all of the students have stepped up to the plate in learning about their ecosystems and sustainability, which showed today. It’s been really special and fun.”

Niccola Massey, student life skills manager, said: “It’s been so kind of the museum to open its doors to us today. Lots of the young people that we work with don’t have the opportunity to come and visit a museum; this one is so special and houses so much history, it’s an excellent opportunity and it’s amazing that Phallon has joined us too.”

Young people with an existing passion for such topics are identified by the Foundation and invited to initiatives throughout the season, leading them to being declared as an ‘Eco Red’. From there, they are tasked with sharing the knowledge they gain throughout the season with their peers, to spread awareness about looking after the environment.

The inaugural celebration for the new season saw pupils from more than 30 different schools take part in workshops with Sow The City and the University of Manchester, as well as exploring the museum, including the vivarium, where a range of wildlife resides.

Faris, a student from Kingsway Park High School, said: “I’ve enjoyed the feeling of exploring the museum, learning different things and meeting new people. I’m going to tell the rest of my class what we’ve learned today.”

Meanwhile, Sakhipreet, from Dean Trust Ardwick, added: “I think it’s just been an amazing experience, I would love to come here every day!

“It was amazing to meet Phallon and I was very fascinated by how she’s adapted two talents, including football and being sustainable. We asked her loads of questions and I was very happy to meet her.”

Ciaron Wilkinson, Manchester Museum’s head of partnerships and engagement, concluded: “It’s been amazing to welcome Manchester United Foundation’s Eco Reds into the museum. Care for the planet and environmental sustainability runs through everything we do at Manchester Museum, so a big focus of today has been using our four-and-a-half million items to tell those stories, and hopefully the young people have gone away full of new ideas.”

Eco Reds was made possible by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association Players’ Fund.

Administered through the Premier League Foundation, the funding helps football clubs to tackle inequality and respond to local challenges, supporting people and their communities to be more inclusive.