Homelessness remains one of the biggest problems facing the UK and hundreds of Manchester runners are once again turning up to do their bit to tackle the issue.
The Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness is an annual initiative that aims to raise money for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s ‘A Bed Every Night’ charity scheme.
Set up by the Run Wild MCR in 2019 – a running club and social society founded by students from the University of Manchester – the 24-hour marathon sees hordes of elite runners, casual joggers and newbies alike run around the city centre to fundraise.
Now in its fourth year, Run Wild‘s 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness is set to be bigger than ever, with an aim to raise more than £5,000 in 2022. That being said, we expect these wonderful lot to rack up much more than that, having totalled £12,000 in donations since the campaign was created.
The event is essentially a 24-hour group relay run where participants can join in for a 5k lap by simply turning up at the venue and joining the giant group of joggers.
The relay itself is led by one of several run leaders flying a flag for the charity and to help identify the group which can fluctuate in size throughout the day.
Big or small and come rain or shine, people keep going to do their bit to raise money and awareness for this crucial cause.
Credit: 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness
For anyone worrying about keeping up with the pace and/or distance, the relay is run at an accessible pace which still allows everyone to stay together for a social run and you take part for as long or as little as you like.
Relay groups tend to set off roughly every half an hour; this obviously varies depending on the overall pace of the runners but, once again, it’s not about the running itself: it’s about raising money and awareness for an issue often overlooked in this city.
Who’s taking part and how you can join
Given the charity run’s uni roots, there will of course be plenty of students joining in the relay, with the UoM Sport pledging dozens of runners and athletes to join the cause.
However, you don’t even need to be a regular runner to join in and there will be run leads, pacers and general ambassadors on-hand throughout for anyone that wants to get involved.
For those who can’t make it to the event, the organisers have even set up a virtual participation option, where people can sync their Strava app or enter distances manually to a virtual tracker accessible via the website.
An epidemic that cannot continue to be ignored
There are still an alarming number of homeless people living in Manchester in 2022: approximately 6,780 adults and children are said to be without a permanent domicile in the region, according to statistics from SocialHousing.co.uk.
Also, due to the current cost of living and energy crisis, there is an increased need to offer support this winter. Homeless charity Crisis UK estimates that one in four privately rented households were living in fuel poverty in 2020 and that figure is projected to jump by a staggering 42% by the end of the year.
In other words, the equivalent of more than 2.3 million households could struggle to pay their gas and electricity bills this winter and, therefore, even more individuals are at risk of becoming homeless.
That’s where charitable drives like this come in. Over £2,000 has been raised through donations already and more than £300 raised in shirt sales alone.
As Lucy from Ancoats Run Club said: “we do spend a lot of time running through the city centre, especially during the winter evenings. We can see the homelessness that affects Manchester. Being able to take part in this run is a great chance for us as a club to help raise”
A Bed Every Night is putting a dint in the problem
While this is obviously a national problem, A Bed Every Night (ABEN) is already supporting over 600 people currently needing a place to stay in Manchester.
Over 4,000 people have been supported by ABEN since 2019; at the time of writing, there are 619 people by associated accommodation in Greater Manchester, with 21 different organisations helping to provide a safe place to sleep across the region.
Better still, A Bed Every Night also includes specialist women’s, LGBTQ+, pet-friendly and ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ accommodation. The Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is truly a lifeline for this city’s homeless population and has already helped reduce figures by more than 50%.
Moreover, as MRR chairman and founding member Chris Rider said of his club, one of their main aspirations is to have an impact in the community through acts such as fundraising and “the 24 Hour Run is a fantastic event raising much-needed funds for an important charity.”
The 24-hour marathon will be running 12 noon on Wednesday 16 November until 12pm the following day, with the laps starting from the 53two theatre and arts charity centre, located at Arch 19 on Watson Street.
Sign-up is completely free but not absolutely essential, you can also just rock up if you fancy doing your bit for charity on the day. You can also do as many or as few laps as you like — no matter how many you manage, it’s all going towards an important cause.
You can donate to the 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness 2022HERE and be sure sure to follow them on their various socials for any and all updates on the day.
Featured Image — 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness/Run Wild Manchester
News
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.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
Danny Jones -
15th November 2022 
