11:00, 20 December 2024
| by Matthew Brown
Manchester United Foundation is supporting young people affected by the adverse effects of winter with a £100,000 investment in warm items, complemented by other initiatives driven by fans, players and staff.
The Foundation, the associated charity of Manchester United, has distributed 9,000 blankets to young people attending its partner schools across Greater Manchester and in other areas of outreach, in Carlisle, Derbyshire, Derry/Londonderry and London.
These items have recently been received gratefully by pupils at the Foundation’s partner schools, predominantly based in areas of the highest social deprivation.
“There is a grave situation in Greater Manchester in which 37 per cent of children are sadly living in poverty,” said the Foundation’s Chief Executive, John Shiels.
“Working in the areas of highest social deprivation, our staff know this reality too well, witnessing the challenges that our young people are posed with every day, whether by day delivering in our partner schools, or by night at our community football sites.
“Knowing the extent of these difficulties, it’s vital that the Foundation offers its hand in support to the young people - and their families - who we serve.”
Those identified as being in need from the Foundation’s partner schools, plus other young people and families in need locally across Greater Manchester, will also benefit from the wonderful generosity of Manchester United fans as part of a recent matchday appeal.
Fans at Old Trafford and Leigh Sports Village responded emphatically to the Foundation’s call for child and adult-sized coats, for the men’s team match against Chelsea and the women’s team fixture against Arsenal in early November.
More than 2,250 coats were received thanks to donations from fans, club and Foundation staff, plus both the men’s and women’s team players themselves, with both squads supporting the campaign.
We were also grateful for the support of the two opposition clubs on the day of the appeal - Chelsea and Arsenal - and their travelling supporters, who donated coats to support the initiative.
These coats have since been distributed to our partner schools alongside the blankets purchased by the Foundation. Some of the coats have also been donated to two local charities, Two Brews and Mustard Tree, to support their service users.
Staff from club partners DHL and DXC Technology also made donations to the coat appeal, with DHL allowing staff to volunteer time during work hours to help sort and distribute both the coat donations and the Foundation’s purchase of 9,000 blankets.
“A blanket can help one or multiple young people to stay warm at home, whilst a warm coat could make the difference a child needs to be able to come into school and thrive in their education,” John added.
“With this investment, complemented by the support of Manchester United fans, we hope this small action can make a huge difference to those who need it most, against the stark landscape of a continuing cost-of-living crisis and rising fuel poverty.”
Kati-Anne Roughley, headteacher at Haslam Park Primary School in Bolton - one of more than 30 partner primary schools of the Foundation - said: “Blankets are a really great way for us to help the children be warm and comfortable. They will be a helpful and fun way for them to have a little bit of extra warmth.
“I think it’s so important that it comes from the Foundation and the children are always so grateful and happy.”
Ian Maitland, SEND officer at one of our partner special schools, The Orchards, added: “It’s amazing to see the kind of impact that these initiatives can have on children in the school. It helps to boost their physical and mental health and wellbeing and enables them to enjoy learning outdoors, which are sessions many of the children enjoy.”
In addition to the provision of warm items, the Foundation is helping to bring festive joy to children at its projects with the purchase of over 200 toys, utilising £5,652 in funds raised from the latest ‘Warm Up’ event at Old Trafford – supported by 340 fans from across 32 international Supporters’ Clubs.
An internal appeal among Manchester United staff, supported by players from the men’s, women’s and Academy teams, has led to further toys being donated – ensuring more than 400 gifts have been distributed altogether, to children who may otherwise not have received a present this Christmas.
Gemma Harrison, deputy headteacher at St Alphonsus Primary School - one of the partner schools closest to Old Trafford - said: “We have lots of families who are struggling to heat their homes.
“The coats and blankets will be a godsend to those children, but it’s just so special that they will receive those gifts as well – it will really make their Christmas, and it will mean a lot for them when they may not have received anything otherwise.”