Febuary 2026 Awards

Throughout the year, our Trustees award grants from our two core funds. The 'Stronger Communities Fund' (SCF), where we provide funding to groups making positive differences in their communities, and the 'Manchester's Rising Stars Fund' (MRSF) where we award grants supporting ambitious young Mancunians from disadvantage in their next steps to success. 

In February, we awarded £11,550 through our Stronger communities' fund, awarding groups throughout Manchester.  We have also awarded 6 young people through our Manchester’s rising stars fund over £12,000 to pursue their ambitions!   

Stronger Communities Awards 

Rise and flourish is an ESOL cooking class and Movement Project based in Manchester that is committed to building inclusive, empowered, and connected communities by learning the English language, sharing recipes, reducing social isolation, and promoting meaningful integration. Their mission is to create safe, welcoming, and engaging spaces, particularly for individuals whose first language is not English, including migrants, refugees, and women, where people can thrive, express themselves, and build the confidence to navigate life in the UK.  

They have been awarded £3000 to deliver 6 months of bi-monthly ESOL cooking classes in Gorton. The project will primarily engage migrant women and adults who may be socially isolated, newly arrived in the UK, or facing barriers to participation due to language, confidence, or wellbeing challenges. 

We really appreciate your award and want to thank you. It will make a big impact in the lives of our students and in our Rise and Flourish ESOL Cooking and Movement Class in Gorton. This support will make it easier for our students to learn English in a practical, useful, and enjoyable environment via cooking. Students learn real-life ESOL activities by gaining confidence in speaking, listening and reading. Thank you for believing in our learners and investing in their future. 

Hopesavers 

Hopesavers work with families to provide hope, build their confidence, alleviate poverty by empowerment.  They provide culturally sensitive activities with a focus on using pidgin English as a communication stool.  Many of the families they work with experience loneliness, low confidence, and limited access to opportunities due to social, economic, or cultural barriers. Their project responds by creating inclusive, welcoming spaces where families feel safe, valued, and supported to engage with others in their community.   

Hopesavers have been awarded £1200 to deliver crochet sessions to isolated families in Gorton.   

Thank you, We Love MCR Charity, for your kindness and belief in what we do. Your support means more than words can say. We are incredibly thankful to receive this grant it will help us bring real change to the people who need it most. Your generosity gives us hope and strength to continue our work. 

Neighbours who grow 

Neighbours Who Grow is a community-led environmental and wellbeing initiative based in Moss Side, Manchester. At the heart of their work is the Brotherhood Peace Garden, which began as a small community garden supported by Greater Manchester Environment Trust. What started as a modest effort to improve a neglected space and grow food has grown into a thriving hub for local residents. Their vision is to support greener, healthier, and more connected neighbourhoods by enabling people to care for shared spaces, grow food, and build meaningful relationships, It is now recognised by residents as a central community space. 

The have been awarded £3350 to extend their activity into the wider neighbourhood by supporting residents to green their gardens, alleyways, and shared spaces by providing plants, materials, and practical guidance. 

'We are incredibly grateful to We Love Manchester for giving us the opportunity to embark on our journey of Growing a Greener Moss Side. This project is about bringing people together through nature, supporting local residents to green their own spaces and reconnect with the many wellbeing benefits of being outdoors. Time spent in green spaces strengthens both our physical and mental health, builds confidence, and brings our community closer together. We are genuinely excited to begin this next phase with the community and to see Moss Side flourish through shared effort and care.'

Longsight community arts space 

Longsight Community Art Space is a resident-led community arts organisation based in Longsight, Manchester. Their vision is to make creativity part of everyday life, especially for communities who are often excluded from cultural spaces due to language barriers, cost, caring responsibilities, migration status, or lack of confidence.  They work closely with local residents, schools, women’s groups, and grassroots organisations. Their outcomes include reduced isolation, stronger cross-community relationships, increased confidence, and the creation of safe spaces where people feel seen and valued. 

They have been awarded £3000 to deliver 12 weeks of a weekly writing group for adults living in Longsight, particularly those at risk of isolation, including migrants, women, people with limited access to higher education, and residents facing economic hardship. 

Longsight Art Space is super excited to be a recipient of the grant from We Love MCR. In our neighbourhood, Poetry is an under-explored form, and our intention is to make it a regular provision. We are bringing a series of interesting workshops to our local residents and people of Manchester.   

 Manchester's Rising Stars Awards

Atika, 22 from Levenshulme has ambitions to be an artist. She has been awarded £1087 in resources to support her current studies at college and beyond. 

Thank you for providing these items through your charity; your generosity has truly helped me. I’m deeply grateful for your support and the positive difference you make in people’s lives. 

Julia, 19 from Harpurhey runs her own nail business. She has been awarded £1500 to expand this business into lash services.  This is the second award from the Manchester's Rising stars fund to support her entrepreneurial journey. 

I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to MCR Charity for awarding me funding for the second time. I’m truly grateful for your continued support. This funding will help me invest in tools to provide high-quality treatments. It means so much to me and my business.   

Niamh, 21 from Brooklands is a content creator. She has been awarded £959 to for a camera and tripod to further her career. 

Thank you for this award. The equipment removes a major barrier, helping me develop my skills, improve my work and build a stronger portfolio. It supports my progression into paid opportunities and brings me closer to a sustainable career in the creative industry. 

Declan, 18 from Woodhouse Park is content creator and producer.  He has been awarded £3949 for equipment to further this career 

I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the Charity for this incredible grant. As someone with autism, I’ve often struggled to believe in myself and to keep hope alive. Because of this grant, I can take a big step closer to achieving my dreams. Thank you for believing in me! 

Mariam, 21from Moss side runs her own Women only hiking group.  She has been awarded £549 for training and equipment to further this business.  This is the second award from the Manchester's Rising Stars Fund supporting her journey. 

This is my second successful application with you, and it truly means a lot to the SheRoams community. Your support allows us to continue growing, creating more opportunities, and strengthening a safe and empowering space for women to come together. 

Kevin, 23 from Hulme has ambitions to be an Electrician. He has been awarded £3900 to complete some training to help him on this journey. 

Thank you so much for giving me a grant to pay for my electricians' course. Because I am able to study from home, I can work at a pace that suits me. I am hoping that by the end of this year I will qualify as an electrician which will help me to get into work and have some financial stability.