Famous faces and business leaders gathered in Manchester last night in a bid to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness.
Vincent Kompany’s Tackle4MCR testimonial dinner saw £216,000 raised during a historic evening that saw the city truly united – with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer both in attendance.
Noel Gallagher performed in front of business leaders, the Manchester City first team, United players and politicians, as did the UK’s number one beatboxing band Duke and multi award-winning international hip-hop star DJ Yoda.
Football broadcaster Gary Lineker hosted the event at Hilton Manchester Deansgate Hotel, with the funds raised during an auction and silent auction.
Prizes won during the Tackle4MCR testimonial dinner included a five-a-side game against the Class of 92, a signed Noel Gallagher guitar, a box for 10 at Vincent Kompany’s testimonial game and access for four people to every one of SJM Concerts big hitting gigs this summer including Take That, Spice Girls, Courteeners, Muse, Metallica, Kylie Minogue and many more.
The funds will now go to the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s ‘A Bed Every Night’ campaign.
It comes after new Government figures showed the first significant reduction in the number of rough sleepers in Greater Manchester for eight years.
Manchester City and Belgium captain Kompany, who last year pledged, through Tackle4MCR, to make use of the momentum generated by his Testimonial season at Manchester City to assist the Mayor with one of his top priorities – paid tribute to the unity and strength his adopted home city continues to show in the fight to end rough sleeping and homelessness.
“The Tackle4MCR testimonial dinner exceeded all my expectations,” said Kompany. “To see so many people come together to raise vital funds was heart-warming and showed the strength and solidarity we will need to continue tackling what is a complex issue.
“Sleeping rough on the streets is something no one should have to do which is why we created the social movement and fundraising vehicle that is Tackle4MCR.
“I cannot thank enough the people who have helped us achieve what we have so far. There’s a long way to go but I know these funds raised during the dinner will go directly to Andy Burnham’s ‘A Bed Every Night’ campaign, which is already positively impacting people’s lives.”
