From convention to classroom - local charity receives furniture from Manchester Central Convention Complex

Earlier this year, the Manchester Central Convention Complex was looking to pass on some unused furniture. Local charity Step Up MCR needed some furniture for an upcoming project. This is the story of how they found each other through A Good Thing.

A centre is born

The Manchester Central Convention Complex is an old railway terminus, and in 1982 it was first turned into an exhibition centre. Since then, they have been the location of numerous events; from banquets to business meetings, you can find anything and everything at this Grade II listed building! This furniture was the Manchester Central Convention Complex’s first donation. 

Through A Good Thing, they found a nearby charity – Step Up MCR – who was more than happy to take it off their hands. We spoke to Lauren from the convention centre and Ciara from Step up MCR to find out more about how this match improved lives.

Local people helping local lives

Step Up MCR is a small place-based giving charity unleashing the unlimited potential of the communities in North Manchester. Ciara, a Neighbourhood Connector with the charity, told us that as an organisation, Step Up MCR “grow community-led health and wellbeing projects, making a real difference to people’s lives so that everybody feels happy, healthy and at home in our city.” Since 2019, they have made 50 vital community-led initiatives happen in the Manchester area. Some recent successful projects, thanks to their Neighbourhood Health Fund, include women’s swimming lessons and the support of the Beacon Centre. This is a community hub “dedicated to enhancing the physical and mental wellbeing of local residents”.

Somewhere to sit

At the Manchester Central Convention Complex, the business loungers were left sitting around unused. Usually, items such as these would be scrapped and sent to landfill; sadly, this is often the easiest solution to leftover and unwanted objects that just take up space. Through a good thing, however, these items were listed and a local charity, only a stone’s throw away, was able to come and take it off their hands. “There was nothing wrong with the furniture,” said Lauren, and stated that it would be a shame to see items with more life in them go to waste. She found the process of passing on the centre’s unwanted goods simple; A Good Thing “made getting rid of usable items easy”. We hope to see more leftovers from the centre find a good home in the future!

Once collected, the furniture, which included six chairs and five sofas, was sourced to Improving Young Lives. This organisation was put together in order to create a space for young people to thrive outside their usual environments, and give them new personalised opportunities that might otherwise not be available to them. They will be using it to furnish a newly acquired unit, transforming it into a new SEND classroom. “A Good Thing is a wonderful tool for an organisation such as ours,” said Ciara, who relies on the power of local giving to make a difference.

It is great to see local businesses such as the Manchester Central Convention Complex helping the same local communities to thrive with their donations. A big thank you to everyone involved in this match!