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omairia.bibi
Countless evidence has shown the benefits of physical activity, sport and movement for our physical and mental health, social and community development, and even the economy – according to research done by Sport England in 2024, the annual social value of community sport and physical activity is £107.2 billion in England. But we don’t necessarily need to look to scientific or social studies to…
omairia.bibi's blog

anushka.swannell
Image To celebrate this month’s Refugee Week (16th-22nd June 2025) and Volunteer’s Week (2-8th June 2025), Emily McKinnell who leads on the VCSE Sanctuary Seekers Network for Macc, spoke to Rose, who has recently joined us as a Migrant Destitution Fund Project Worker. Linked to Rose’s story, we are also sharing a blog from our Volunteer Centre…
anushka.swannell's blog

anushka.swannell
  Image To celebrate Refugee Week (16th-22nd June) and Pride month this June (2025), we wanted to shine a light on the intersectional experiences of people in the LGBTQI+ community seeking asylum. Milly McKinnell who leads on the GM Sanctuary Seekers Network for Macc, spoke to African Rainbow Family - a charity in Manchester supporting…
anushka.swannell's blog

anushka.swannell
  Image "At 85 years old, James is a shining example of Manchester’s community spirit in action. As a passionate member of the Greater Manchester Older People’s Network and an advocate for local causes, he brings energy, wisdom, and compassion to everything he does. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated and inspiring…
anushka.swannell's blog

jack.puller
For Volunteers' Week 2025 | 2–8 June In February, we launched a piece of research into student volunteering in Greater Manchester, bringing together VCSE organisations, universities and colleges, and student volunteers. The session sparked valuable cross-sector conversations and confirmed a strong appetite to make student volunteering more inclusive, visible, and impactful across the city region…
jack.puller's blog

jack.puller
For Volunteers' Week 2025 | 2–8 June As part of Volunteers’ Week 2025 (2–8 June), we’re shining a spotlight on work that celebrates the contribution of volunteers and explores how volunteering can become more inclusive and accessible to everyone in our communities. This blog shares insight from a project led by Manchester City of Sanctuary in partnership with Macc and Volunteer Centre Manchester…
jack.puller's blog

jack.puller
For Volunteers' Week 2025 | 2–8 June This Volunteers’ Week, we’re celebrating something remarkable... Image Since 2014, the Friends of Didsbury Park have quietly and consistently contributed to the heart of their community. From litter-picking to planting, from events to everyday care, volunteers of all ages have helped make Didsbury Park a…
jack.puller's blog

anushka.swannell
Zara has written an article shedding light on the vast poverty faced my women globally and in Greater Manchester. "In 1978, Diana Pearce coined the term ‘feminisation of poverty’, describing the trend towards more and more of the burden of poverty being borne by women. Five decades later, this reality persists around the world.  With Women’s History Month having concluded in March, I took…
anushka.swannell's blog

michaux.danzoll
  The 2023 Procurement Act came into effect on February 24th, 2025, bringing with it changes to legislation and best practices for local authorities’ contracting procedures. The new act emphasises the consideration of ‘public benefit’ when assessing contract tenders, elevating the opportunity for social enterprises to supply goods and services to government bodies. With the goal of…
michaux.danzoll's blog

anushka.swannell
Michaux Danzoll has written an informative article on the history of Earth Day and the importance of greenspace in our city of Manchester. "April 22nd marks the celebration of Earth Day, a day honouring nature and raising awareness of the growing human-made threats our world faces, from climate change to biodiversity loss. The modern environmental movement began 55 years ago in response to the…
anushka.swannell's blog

anushka.swannell
April is Neurodiversity Awareness Month. For April's edition of ‘Just One Thing’ Jessica Draper sat down with Sam Palmer, CEO of Respect for All. Respect for All offers specialist counselling and group support services for autistic and/or learning disabled people and their families and carers who live in Greater Manchester.  Learn from Sam on how to build a neuro-inclusive workforce, on the…
anushka.swannell's blog

anushka.swannell
Sally Bolton is the founder of SB Wellbeing, a health and fitness coaching programme that specialises in menopause wellness. She is the author of ‘The Menopause Lifestyle Project’ and is also a licensed workplace trainer, giving menopause training to organisations and workforces.  The Just One Thing project is a journalism segment aiming to raise awareness of one social issue/project/event/…
anushka.swannell's blog