Manchester City Mission crowned Springboard Heroes 2022 winner

Salford-based Manchester City Mission have been voted our Springboard Heroes of 2022 and awarded £1,000 to help continue their work.

The result follows a closely fought month-long public vote between the four finalists in which nearly 800 votes were cast.

The Mission provides a vital lifeline for people living in poverty and those affected by the cost-of-living crisis in Salford, with their Family Food Fayre project providing access to low-cost food, clothing and essentials to the local community.

Manchester City Mission manager Barry Matley said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be named Springboard Heroes 2022 winner, it’s an amazing honour. I can’t thank enough anyone who gave their vote to us, it means such a lot and recognises the work the whole team do.”

“I also want to thank Salix Homes – the Springboard Heroes competition gave us the opportunity to let more people know about us and the work we do, it will mean so much to everyone who gives their time and energy to help residents who need us more now than ever.”

Currently based at the Windsor Centre in Salford, they offer a twice-a-week drop-in session where residents can choose from a wide range of food items worth around £15 for just £3.

Salix Homes supports the project by paying membership fees for some of our tenants in financial difficulty, and our Springboard fund has also been used to cover the costs of repairs to ensure vital equipment is maintained.

This year, we have donated around £33,000 to dozens of local groups and initiatives across Salford as part of our Springboard community grant programme, which provides much-needed cash injections to local projects that boost community spirit, promote health and wellbeing, reduce isolation and improve the environment.

Four of the projects Salix Homes has supported over the year are entered into the annual Springboard Heroes Awards and given the chance to win a further £1,000 cash boost.

This year’s competition was closely contested between four finalists, as worthy runners-up Bee Corner, Salford Boxing Club and Seedley and Langworthy in Bloom will each receive £100.

Sue Sutton, Chief Executive at Salix Homes said: “Springboard Heroes is our way of celebrating some of the fantastic work that people are doing to help the residents of Salford in these incredibly challenging times. We’ve not known a cost-of-living emergency like this for decades, so we all need to do what we can to provide help and support.

“Huge congratulations to the Manchester City Mission’s Family Food Fayre, which is a very worthy winner of our annual Springboard Heroes Awards, as voted by the public. It’s projects like these that make our communities so special, and we hope our donation will go some way in supporting them to continue the fantastic work that they do.”