Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GOOD KOMPANY
Manchester City ace’s testimonial proceeds will help the homeless
PREMIER League ace Vincent Kompany is dedicating his testimonial season to tackling rough sleeping in Manchester.
The kind-hearted Manchester City defender, 32, has teamed up with mayor Andy Burnham to launch fundraising campaign Tackle4mcr.
Kompany, proud to be “born in Belgium but made in Manchester”, said his adoptive home had given him “much to be grateful for”.
He added: “Over the past decade I’ve been lucky to have witnessed and played a part in Manchester City’s rise as a club and a brand.
“This has also run parallel alongside the rise of a whole region. However, with this spectacular rise comes a very visible downside.
“More and more people are left out of and have no access to the benefits of the rapid development, often leaving them no choice but to end up on the streets. And this is why our mayor Andy Burnham and I launched Tackle4mcr, a movement that will stand on its own feet and one that can be successful – if everyone plays a part.” Mayor of Greater Manchester Mr Burnham has pledged to end the need for rough sleeping in the city region by 2020 and on his first day in office set up the Mayor’s Homelessness
Fund, donating 15% of his pay every month.
He said he was
“very proud” to now link up with
Kompany.
Setting out their vision, he said: “We want to provide a bed for every rough sleeper every night of the week over this coming winter.
“This will not be an easy task but we believe this is the best way to help people off the streets and, crucially, also give people access to the support they need.
“This unprecedented scheme will come at a significant extra cost and Tackle4mcr can play a huge part in making this plan into a reality.
“In his famous poem, Tony Walsh told us that, ‘Some are born here, some drawn here, but all call it home’. “Those words are personified by Vincent and his desire to give back to this city that he now calls home.” The fundraising drive will involve a series of activities throughout the season, culminating in Kompany’s testimonial at the Etihad stadium. Other Premier League stars to have boosted charities through testimonials include Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer, raising £1.2million and £1.64million respectively.