As part of the Club’s ‘0161 Christmas Calling‘ campaign, groups of players made appearances across Manchester, including the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, local charities and City in the Community sessions.
A month full of spreading Christmas cheer with our fans, the activities our players took part in included:
- Women’s players Jill Roord and Naomi Layzell visited a new City in the Community session at Ronald McDonald House with patients and their families.
- The Elite Development Squad volunteered at ‘Supporting People in Need’ for the day, helping to organise stored clothing for residents and other homeless people.
- Students in reception and Year 5 were given the surprise of their lives when Erling Haaland and Scott Carson surprised a local primary school during a Christmas session with City in the Community coaches.
- City in the Community BTEC students across five colleges in Manchester were surprised by Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan at a festive football tournament.
- Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker, Stefan Ortega, Ederson and Matheus Nunes surprised Man City and City in the Community staff who were taking part in a charity football tournament at the City Football Academy.
- Rico Lewis, Josko Gvardiol, James McAtee and Phil Foden surprised City in the Community esports participants alongside City esports star FG.
- The Under-18s squad supported City in the Community by volunteering at the charity’s Winter Wonderland event with up to 800 local primary shcool students.
- Manchester City Women’s players and manager, Gareth Taylor, surprised 60 senior citizens at a special Christmas party at the Etihad Stadium.
- A group of men’s players and women’s players - Rodri, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb, Chloe Kelly, Kerstin Casparij and Tara O’Hanlon - visited patients at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. 1,760 gifts were donated to the patients by the first team squad.
Speaking of the trip to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, check out some of the best images from our time with the patients and families who won’t be able to spend Christmas at home.
‘0161 Christmas Calling’ included gift giving, community events and fundraising, so far raising a total of £175,000 and counting.
Funds raised will support CITC programmes, including those delivered at both Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House, as well as helping to regenerate safe spaces for patients to play.
The ‘0161 Christmas Calling’ campaign is live until Tuesday 31 December, meaning fans can still make donations to top up the total.
To make a donation, or find out more about the campaign, visit: www.mancity.com/ChristmasCalling
View images of Rodri, Stones, Ake, Bobb, Kelly, Casparij and O’Hanlon during their visit to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital via the gallery below...
