Manchester rapper Bugzy Malone has helped to make Christmas a little more special for some of the city’s most “underprivileged children” this week.
With the big day fast approaching, the popular rapper and actor – real name Aaron Davis – has bought and delivered sacks filled with personalised gifts for 50 children across Manchester to help them have the Christmas “they want and deserve”.
Malone worked closely with his accounts, social workers, and his team at his fashion brand B.Malone to ensure he was able to really “make a difference to the families that are going to receive them”.
After having spoken publicly in the past – both in his music and interviews – about the struggles he faced growing up in a poverty-stricken household in the Manchester suburb of Crumpsall, Malone also told of why he felt it so important to contribute and give back this festive season.
He also offered words of encouragement to younger fans who may be in a similar postition.
Taking to his social media platforms yesterday to share the reason and motivation behind the donations, Malone said: “Me and my team at [B.Malone] have bought 50 underprivileged children a sack full of presents each.
“The 0161 made a man out of me and Christmas was never a good time for me or my family so hopefully these presents make a difference to the families that are going to receive them.”
He continued: “We have worked closely along side my accountant [Paul Cheetham-Karcz at Sedulo] and social workers to make sure we knew as much about each individual kid as possible to get them the presents they want and deserve.”
“To the children that I have bought these gifts for, if you ever see this, enjoy Christmas day as much as possible and just know things always get better in life.
“Remember it doesn’t matter where you start it’s where you end up.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJHZ8NDl1Fh/
His actions have earned him widespread praise on social media.
The post went on to amass hundreds of thousands of interactions and comments across all social platforms, with many commending Malone for his generosity towards the some of the region’s most vulnerable children at a time when they need it more than ever.
Malone’s donations are believed to be part of corporate accountancy firm Sedulo’s Christmas Toy Appeal 2020.
Speaking on the importance of the appeal, Paul Cheetham-Karcz – Managing Partner at Sedulo – said: “We have been doing our Toy Appeal for almost 10 years now and each year it gets bigger than the last. In almost all cases of the children we support, they wouldn’t be getting a single present on Christmas day if it wasn’t for this appeal [and] that thought is heart-breaking.
“It’s an initiative I am very proud of [but] organising and distributing around 3,000 bespoke presents isn’t an easy task, [so] I would just like to thank all the clients and the team here at Sedulo for coming together to do something good in the community.
“In my opinion, all businesses should seek ways in which they can contribute to the communities they exist in, and this is just one of how we take our social responsibility seriously.”
You can find out more about The Sedulo Christmas Toy Appeal 2020here.
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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 -
23rd December 2020 
