2020 hindsight: The people who made the news
CHRIS SLATER AND CHARLOTTE DOBSON LOOK AT SOME OF THE MANCUNIANS WHO HIT THE HEADLINES
Marcus Rashford
The Withington-born and Wythenshawe raised 22 year-old has broken down tribal football divides and become a national hero for his campaigning for hungry school kids and families living below the breadline.
After the onset of the pandemic in March, the United ace teamed up with poverty and food waste charity FareShare to deliver meals to those in Greater Manchester who were no longer receiving their free school meals, raising over £20m.
In June, he forced the government into a U-turn on its decision not to continue free school meal vouchers for needy families over the holidays.
The situation arose again in the Autumn when the government said it would not be extending the scheme.
With Rashford using his social media accounts to raise awareness, businesses and councils across the country stepped into the breach, announcing they would fund meals during the October half-term.
The Government then announced a second U-turn in November, pledging £170m for meal vouchers during the Christmas holidays.
Rashford, who has spoken of how his mum, a single parent with five kids, struggled to make ends meet when he was a boy, said he was “so proud” of those who had united behind his campaign.
He promised to “fight for the rest of my life” to end child hunger in the UK.
Murals of him have appeared around Manchester, he won a special award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year and he was also made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List.
Angela Rayner
She had already been an established member of Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet and had become the youngest ever Shadow Education Secretary when she took on the post aged just 36.
However in April, Stockport-born MP Angela cemented her place at the forefront of British politics by being elected deputy leader of the Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer.
In September, the Ashton-underLyme MP stood in to face Boris Johnson at Prime Minister Question’s – asking the Prime Minister if he knew the average hourly rate for a care worker in this country and slammed the PM for not responding with the answer.
Philip Schofield
In February, Oldham-born TV star Philip stunned fans when he revealed he was gay. The 57 year-old This Morning presenter, who had been married for 27 years, opened up during a candid and emotional chat on the sofa with his ITV colleague and pal Holly Willoughby after posting a statement on Instagram addressing his sexuality.
He spoke of his love for his family, including his wife Stephanie Lowe and daughters Ruby and Molly, and he said he hoped he may help others in his position feel able to come out.
Sacha Lord
The Warehouse Project and Parklife boss who was appointed as the Nighttime Economy for Greater Manchester in 2018, became a prominent advocate for the nightlife industry and its ability to reopen and operate safely during the pandemic.
During the first national lockdown,
he helped create United We Stream which brought together musicians, bands, poets, writers, presenters and actors from the region for a series of online events to keep people entertained in their homes. He then campaigned against the 10pm curfew and strongly argued for Covid-secure venues to be allowed to stay open.
Tyson Fury
The Manchester-born heavyweight boxer continued his excellent form from 2019 into this year and in February knocked out big-punching American Deontay Wilder in their rematch in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, with Wilder’s corner throwing in the towel in the seventh round.
The win saw Fury claim the WBC World Heavyweight title.
He continued his campaigning on mental health and posted regular exercise videos with wife Paris in a bid to help people keep active during lockdown.
Zuber and Mohsin Issa
Two billionaire brothers, whose business empire began with a petrol station in Bury, made international headlines when they agreed a deal worth £6.8 billion to buy Asda from American giant Wallmart, putting the supermarket chain into British ownership for the first time in more than 20 years.
Growing up in Blackburn, their life in business began when they bought a run-down garage on Brandlesholme Road in for Bury for £150,000 in 2001.
Sally Dynevor
She’s been a well-known face on the cobbles for years, and it seems the
Queen is a fan too. Sally, who plays Coronation Street’s Sally Metcalfe, was made an MBE for services to drama in Thursday’s New Year Honours.
Vernon Kay
The Bolton-born TV presenter took part in this year’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, held in a castle in north Wales rather than Australia due to Covid restrictions.
And the 46 year-old dad-of-two became an unlikely heartthrob.
He set pulses racing, being dubbed ‘Vernon Bae’ on social media. Numerous clips of him were also shared on TikTok, popular with teenagers.
Bev Callard
Eccles-born Corrie star Beverley Callard also braved the chilly temperatures of Wales on I’m A Celebrity ...
The Coronation Street legend, who played Liz McDonald in the soap, lasted 17 days in camp.
Prof Dame Nancy Rothwell
The University of Manchester’s Vice Chancellor found herself at the centre of a furore over her institution’s handling of the virus.
And there was outrage when workmen began installing metal fencing and checkpoints around the campus.
Prof Rothwell apologised and said the fence would be taken down.
Maggie Oliver
Detective Constable Maggie Oliver was vindicated ‘once and for all’ when an independent review into child sexual exploitation in south Manchester was finally published at the beginning of 2020.
The report, published on January 14, 2020, found that dozens of children, suspected of being groomed and abused were failed by police and local authorities.
The 145-page report centres on Operation Augusta, the investigation set up in 2004, which was prompted by the death of Victoria Agoglia, 15.
Senior officers at Greater Manchester Police chose to under-resource the investigation – until last year, GMP had always refused to reopen it, despite pleas from both Maggie and the family of Victoria.
Maggie said after the report was published: “I feel completely vindicated.”