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.
“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.
“The car washing days are just one of the ways the service is helping this vital cause.
“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.”
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.
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.
Pep Guardiola hints at when Manchester City fans can expect to see their latest arrival
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has given supporters a rough timeline as to when they can expect to see their new signing, or at least their latest arrival, make his first appearance.
The Blues wrapped up the January transfer window with four major signings: their new attacking number seven, Omar Marmoush (who has already bagged a hattrick on his home debut) promising defensive duo, Abdukodir Khusanov and Brazilian Vitor Reis, as well as their ‘mini-Rodri’, Nico Gonzalez.
However, the club has had another late arrival who was technically signed back at the start of last year but who has spent for the last 12 months or so loaned back to his previous parent club, River Plate in Argentina, waiting to make the move over to the Etihad Stadium – and now he’s here in Manchester.
Speaking on his touchdown in 0161, Pep said Claudio Echeverri won’t be thrown into first-team action straight away but did give a rough estimate as to when City fans could expect him to get involved. You can see him discussing the integration plan in his post-match press conference following the Spurs win.
The mention was only brief but there’s still plenty of reason for Man City fans to be excited by the late January signing.
“Yeah, he [Claudio Echeverri] is going to start to train and mainly will be for the end of the season, maybe the [Club] World Cup and as soon as possible [that] he arrives he can adapt quick for the future.”
As mentioned, the 19-year-old Argentinian attacking midfielder from Resistencia officially put pen to paper with CFG back in January 2024 and was quickly dubbed ‘the next Messi’.
Now, although the football world is often quick to jump the gun with these things and he isn’t the first and certainly won’t be last to be slapped with this premature title, he’s done more to back up these claims since then than he has rubbish them.
Starring at the 2025 Under-20 South American Championships, netting six goals in nine games to finish the tournament as the second highest scorer thanks to notable braces against Brazil and Uruguay as the young Argentine’s finished as runners up.
He also notched 48 senior appearances for River Plate thus far, netting four goals and grabbing eight assists in that time, not to mention having already captained his national team at the 2023 Under 17s World Cup, where he scored another five.
Safe to say there’s plenty of talent to be tapped in this lad.
Once again, Echeverri won’t go straight into the senior set-up for a little while yet, barring a major injury crisis, but he’ll be a more than exciting addition to the City Football Academy and for future first-team lineups for years to come.
Who knows, maybe he’ll be included in an FA Cup matchday squad? Nevertheless, you can expect him to not just come of the bench but hopefully show what he can do at the Club World Cup this summer.
City‘s first fixture as reigning champions of the competition will be against Moroccan side Wydad AC on 18 June 2025.
You can watch Echeverri’s first full interview as a Man City player down below:
The new Man City signing is excited to be finally be part of the club 13 months on from agreeing his contract.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
Emily Sergeant -
16th March 2022 
