United launch winter community campaign

[TheReligion]

https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...s/man-united-old-trafford-winter-25655191.amp



Manchester United will open Old Trafford throughout December to help the most vulnerable in the local community.

The club announced their winter campaign 'United by Your Side' on Thursday, which will see the Red Cafe provide those in need with a space to stay warm, a chat, a hot drink and snacks, with temperatures falling and heating bills rising.

The area will be available to everyone, free of charge, every Monday and Wednesday, for the next three weeks, starting 6 December from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. People can arrive and register via the North Stand reception and will be guided to the Red Cafe.


In addition to the warm space at the Red Cafe, the club are also introducing ‘talking benches’ on the forecourt at Old Trafford, which will be signposted as a welcoming place for people who may feel lonely or worried to sit and talk to others.

Collette Roche, United’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Whether Christmas is part of people’s life or not, the festive period can be a difficult time for many. It’s a time of year that puts extra pressure on people and can affect mental health and wellbeing in lots of different ways.

“Through our United by Your Side campaign, we want people who are struggling to know that they are not alone, particularly in our local community. We want to make Old Trafford a second home by providing winter accessories, company, warmth and food for those who need it.”

 

[Plant0x84]

Yup, seen Andy Mittens article about this on the Athletic. It’s a great initiative by the club, and it’s lovely that a multi billion pound enterprise still has its roots in the community. Our club are always great with this kind of thing and it’s a reason to be very proud!

 

[TheReligion]

Yup, seen Andy Mittens article about this on the Athletic. It’s a great initiative by the club, and it’s lovely that a multi billion pound enterprise still has its roots in the community. Our club are always great with this kind of thing and it’s a reason to be very proud!

Agreed.

Sadly the lack of interest in this aside from you and I shows how detached the forum is from the local community.

 

[horsechoker]

Agreed.

Sadly the lack of interest in this aside from you and I shows how detached the forum is from the local community.

a lot of the forum aren't from Manchester

 

[JJ12]

Great to see from the club

 

[VojjE]

Honestly a great thing for the club to do. It's the kind of thing that makes me truly proud of Manchester United regardless of what goes on in the boardroom or on the pitch.

 

[Shai-Hulud]

This shouldn't be necessary in a rich country like the UK. It's disgusting the levels of poverty that country allows.

 

[Rado_N]

This is great to see but can’t help focus on the fact that it’s even bloody necessary in the first place, which is disgusting.

 

[Plant0x84]

This shouldn't be necessary in a rich country like the UK. It's disgusting the levels of poverty that country allows.

Agreed. It’s a disgrace that we don’t take care of our elderly and vulnerable.

 

[Champ]

The club were brilliant during the pandemic also.

A great initiative and something which I'm sure will be well used and received.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Agreed. It’s a disgrace that we don’t take care of our elderly and vulnerable.

Exactly. Unfortunately we live in a country that unless you are a high flyer you are not given the respect you deserve. Nobody should be lonely, nobody should be without warmth or food.

 

[Vault Dweller]

This is great to see but can’t help focus on the fact that it’s even bloody necessary in the first place, which is disgusting.

Agreed on all counts. Great from the club but shocking that it's even required. Country has went to the pits.

 

[redcucumber]

Fingers crossed the roof doesn't leak on them.

Great stuff by the club. As others have said, thoroughly depressing that it's even necessary in the first place.

 

[JJ12]

Exactly. Unfortunately we live in a country that unless you are a high flyer you are not given the respect you deserve. Nobody should be lonely, nobody should be without warmth or food.

I obviously agree but what are the countries that are succeeding in this? Most governments turn a blind eye and pursue more lucrative opportunities I assume. Maybe I’m just ignorant to other countries governments.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I obviously agree but what are the countries that are succeeding in this? Most governments turn a blind eye and pursue more lucrative opportunities I assume. Maybe I’m just ignorant to other countries governments.

Just feel we throw people aside when some think they are no longer useful, despite everything they have given, their knowledge that could be passed on.

 

[Rood]

It's a nice initiative but actually think the club should do more - offering Red Cafe for 3hrs a day, 3 days a week is not much

To be fair, the MU Foundation does do various things around the community all year long
https://www.mufoundation.org/

 

[golden_blunder]

Agreed.

Sadly the lack of interest in this aside from you and I shows how detached the forum is from the local community.

Give over lad you’ve been here long enough to know that some threads will take precedence

 

[AbusementPark]

Exactly. Unfortunately we live in a country that unless you are a high flyer you are not given the respect you deserve. Nobody should be lonely, nobody should be without warmth or food.

During Covid the government had everyone off the street at one point or another, wheres the generosity now when its needed more than ever. We still have Covid and its not getting any warmer or easier to live in the country.
Not sure if the celebrities opening up hotels etc for homeless only done it as a PR stunt, with a side gig of empathy.
Or all the pundits that are outraged by Qatar but getting paid obscene amounts of money to be there, why not make a statement and donate their fees to the homeless cause.

 

[golden_blunder]

Great start but I’d like to see them do more, any new buyers I’d like to really see part of the community. What can they do to support the homeless or those short of food? Can they do soup kitchens, food banks etc? Even get some players giving their free time up

 

[massi83]

Disappointed at the lack of RedCafe jokes

 

[Pronewbie]

Glad to see the club doing something for the common man but I hope United can organise something for fans from around the world to help one another.

Called it back in March but it's still crazy to see what the European elites are doing to their own people, and how little push back there is because of the propaganda and disinformation. The saddest thing is that things will only get worse next year.

 

[massi83]

Glad to see the club doing something for the common man but I hope United can organise something for fans from around the world to help one another.

Called it back in March but it's still crazy to see what the European elites are doing to their own people, and how little push back there is because of the propaganda and disinformation. The saddest thing is that things will only get worse next year.

What?

 

[TheReligion]

Give over lad you’ve been here long enough to know that some threads will take precedence

Yes. The ones slagging of our own players or begging for new state owners.

 

[horsechoker]

Disappointed at the lack of RedCafe jokes

Niall is the reincarnation of Scrooge

 

[Demon Barber]

I referenced this initiative in a post yesterday - so pleased that the club is doing something. In response to one of the responses on here, of course they could do more, but they are doing something.

I was made homeless for a while during the first lockdown and was housed and fed by the council for a month. I fully appreciate every bit that local councils, businesses and individuals do and have done to to help struggling and vulnerable people.

Homelessness is not a lifestyle choice for most. Hunger is not a lifestyle choice for anyone. Fair play to the club for at least doing something.

As a side note, well done to Gary Neville for allowing squatters to stay in one of his property developments whilst it was being renovated, and to Lou Macari for making his warehouse space available for the homeless to protect them/us from the winter. And let's not forget Rashford's campaigns and Mata getting footballers to donate 1% of their earnings to charitable causes.

I am so proud of our club

 

[golden_blunder]

Yes. The ones slagging of our own players or begging for new state owners.

It’s always been that way, so rather than make a tenuous link to everyone on the forum being out of towners who don’t give a monkeys, why not say “I would love to hear opinions on this important topic..”

 

[TheReligion]

It’s always been that way, so rather than make a tenuous link to everyone on the forum being out of towners who don’t give a monkeys, why not say “I would love to hear opinions on this important topic..”

As the attitudes in the United forum and matchday forum get tiresome

 

[Red in STL]

I referenced this initiative in a post yesterday - so pleased that the club is doing something. In response to one of the responses on here, of course they could do more, but they are doing something.

I was made homeless for a while during the first lockdown and was housed and fed by the council for a month. I fully appreciate every bit that local councils, businesses and individuals do and have done to to help struggling and vulnerable people.

Homelessness is not a lifestyle choice for most. Hunger is not a lifestyle choice for anyone. Fair play to the club for at least doing something.

As a side note, well done to Gary Neville for allowing squatters to stay in one of his property developments whilst it was being renovated, and to Lou Macari for making his warehouse space available for the homeless to protect them/us from the winter. And let's not forget Rashford's campaigns and Mata getting footballers to donate 1% of their earnings to charitable causes.

I am so proud of our club

Most clubs and lots of players and ex-players do this sort of thing and have done for a long time, it's often not reported except in the local press, United players always visit the area children's hospitals with presents every year and have done for decades, unless you lived locally you wouldn't like know about it.

As an ex-pat Mancunian in the US, it's the same here, sports stars and clubs do massive amounts of this kind of thing, and it's needed, the UK has a welfare system that is far superior to anything the US has, wages are lower here and you have far less legal protection for things like eviction, utilities cut-off and such like

 

[Lee565]

So that is why they have kept phil Jones at the club

 

[golden_blunder]

As the attitudes in the United forum and matchday forum get tiresome

No worse than it was 10 years ago

 

[golden_blunder]

Most clubs and lots of players and ex-players do this sort of thing and have done for a long time, it's often not reported except in the local press, United players always visit the area children's hospitals with presents every year and have done for decades, unless you lived locally you wouldn't like know about it.

As an ex-pat Mancunian in the US, it's the same here, sports stars and clubs do massive amounts of this kind of thing, and it's needed, the UK has a welfare system that is far superior to anything the US has, wages are lower here and you have far less legal protection for things like eviction, utilities cut-off and such like

Untrue, I’m not from Manchester and have read about it for years in the United magazine

 

[Red in STL]

Untrue, I’m from Manchester and have read about it for years in the United magazine

So you live locally, when I lived locally I read about it, out of town supporters, which probably constitute the majority on RedCafe, are much more likely to do so

 

[golden_blunder]

So you live locally, when I lived locally I read about it, out of town supporters, which probably constitute the majority on RedCafe, are much more likely to do so

Sorry I neglected the word “not”

 

[Demon Barber]

Okay, the thread has been derailed slightly. I am from Manchester but do not live there now. Does that make me an OOT?

People who are interested in United can access news, opinions and stuff wherever they live. It makes them no less a red.

So, well done to us for helping out local people who are in need.

 

[RedPhil1957]

Agreed on all counts. Great from the club but shocking that it's even required. Country has went to the pits.

I was in Germany a few months ago and there were very long queues for food banks so this country is not unique

 

[golden_blunder]

Okay, the thread has been derailed slightly. I am from Manchester but do not live there now. Does that make me an OOT?

People who are interested in United can access news, opinions and stuff wherever they live. It makes them no less a red.

So, well done to us for helping out local people who are in need.

Precisely

 

[The Irish Connection]

Nice to see/read about. Well done to the club.