Manchester Clubs Donate To Emergency Fund

Manchester United and Manchester City Football Clubs have today come together to pledge £1million to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund.

The Red and Blue halves of Manchester have combined to support the city they have each called home for more than 120 years and which has been profoundly affected by the tragic events witnessed on Monday.

Under the banner of #ACityUnited, the two clubs will continue to explore opportunities to support the city at this testing time.

The Lord Mayor-backed emergency fund, in partnership with the British Red Cross, was set up in the wake of the horrifying attack at the Manchester Arena and is designed to assist the families and dependants of the 22 people who died in the atrocity and the 64 people who were injured, many of them critically.

The fund has swelled to £2million in the past 24 hours, with the merging of Manchester Evening News’ #westandtogether crowd-funded campaign which itself had raised £1million from the generosity of Mancunians and their friends across the country and the world. The clubs’ £1million donation increases that combined total to beyond £3million.

Manchester United FC held a minute’s silence and wore black armbands during last night’s UEFA Europa League final in a mark of respect, and Manchester City Women’s team will do the same at their Spring Series match against Chelsea Ladies FC at the Academy Stadium this evening.

Speaking of the collaboration, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City, said:

"We have all been humbled by the strength and solidarity shown by the people of Manchester in the days since the attack. The hope of both our clubs is that our donation will go some small way to alleviate the daunting challenges faced by those directly affected and that our acting together will serve as a symbol to the world of the unbreakable strength of the spirit of Manchester."

Echoing these sentiments, Ed Woodward, Executive Vice-Chairman of Manchester United, said:

"The barbarism of Monday evening’s attack has shocked everyone. Our clubs are right at the heart of our local communities in Manchester and it is right that we present a unified response to this tragedy. The money will help of course but the work of the two clubs and their respective foundation and community scheme can build on the fantastic spirit that Mancunians have shown in the immediate aftermath."

For anyone who wishes to donate to the fund, please:

- Visit www.redcross.org.uk/manchester
- Visit www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/redcross/ManchesterEmergencyFund
- Call 0300 456 4999
- Go to a British Red Cross shop

Credit: Manutd.com