Greater Manchester pulled together raising over £15,000 for Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity.

Thursday 17th August saw 26 teams battle it out to be crowned ‘Greater Manchester’s Strongest Team’, raising thousands of pounds in the process.

In the iconic Greater Manchester Central Hall, usually home to concerts and exhibitions a more unique event took place on Thursday 17 August. These historic vaulted arches provided the backdrop for 26 teams of 5 to pull a bright yellow bee network bus 30-meters to the finish line.

Pulling the equivalent of two adult elephants, the energy and enthusiasm of all 26 teams filled the large and spacious Manchester Central Hall. Each team had their own unique techniques and tactics which created a toughly fought and extremely close competition. But, the team who came out on top, with an admirable time of 00:27:69, were Resources Solutions’ team, ‘RS on the Pull’. In second place, Total Demolition's pulled the bus across the finish line in a time of 00:27:97. As you can see, the competition was extremely tight!. Mere milliseconds separated the teams which made for a tense but exciting atmosphere throughout the day.

Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity are never shy of unique fundraisers. Be it a DJ Battle, sponsored walk or a bus pulling event the Greater Manchester community’s engagement and enthusiasm is inspiring. In the latest of our exciting new calendar of events, we raised over £15,000 for the pioneering scheme, A Bed Every Night.

This money will help provide 500 extra nights of accommodation to any individuals at risk of experiencing homelessness across the city-region. It will also offer accommodation and much-needed care to those already sleeping rough. Since the launch of Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity in 2019, it has funded over 70,000 nights of emergency accommodation. It is through inventive fundraisers like this and the incredible support of the Greater Manchester community that the charity can continue to grow.

With the support of Greater Manchester, we can continue to provide a financial safety net for organisations supporting people who are experiencing homelessness. And, we can continue to provide opportunities for organisations that want to grow their support for individuals at risk of experiencing homelessness or experiencing homelessness.

Andy Burnham, patron of Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, said:

‘That really was an incredible event with a real buzz in the room. This was more than a physical challenge, it was a display of the strength and unity of our city-region pulling together to end homelessness, as we prepare for the Bee Network launch. Everyone should have a home, and everyone should have a bed for a night. The funds we raised help make that possible. Thank you to everyone who participated and donated.”