The city of Manchester already adores the Manchester United legends Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs. However, what they have done recently, is set to increase this admiration to a whole new level.
The duo, who once upon a time, used to run riot down the flanks, at Old Trafford, have snow decided that they could help the people of Manchester, in a different way a by providing shelter for the homeless.
Neville and Giggs had recently bought the Manchester Stock Exchange building, reportedly for around A?1.5 million. Their original plan was to turn the century-old building into a plush hotel, with 35 bedrooms, a spa, a gym, a private member’sa terrace, and a restaurant-bar.
However, what has become of the stock exchange right now, is a completely different scenario. The duo has allowed the homeless people of Manchester to take-up temporary residence at the building a for a few monthsa .
Essentially, Neville has allowed the homeless to stay at the building for the winter months, when it gets difficult for them to stay on the pavement.
A bunch of activists, who were campaigning for the rights of the homeless people, had taken-up residence at the building, which was supposedly empty, and were demanding that the owners let the homeless stay there for the harsh winter months. They were expected to be booted out of the place, with the help of a court order.
Surprisingly however, the two former United players let the homeless stay at the building, for the winter, as their main construction work is not set to begin till February, at least.
a I was crying and shaking after I got off the phone. The graft has paid off,a said Wesley Hall, of Manchester Angels, the activist group, that was demanding space for the homeless, to Manchester Evening News.
a What a great guy Gary Neville is. Wea ve been in negotiations with him and things are looking good,a continued Hall.
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I’m crying…Just go off the phone to Gary Neville…He’s letting us stay for a few months over the winter period and he’s gonna help us with intervention I’m shaking here.#TheGraftPaysOff <3
Posted by Manchester Angels . on Sunday, 18 October 2015
There is one catch: Neville and Giggs will be sending surveyors over, from time to time, and the temporary occupants will have to let them carry on with their work in peace. Hall said that this would not be a problem for his people, and had even a cheekilya suggested to Neville that he could hire some of the homeless as his labourers.
While this is a great gesture by the former football players, the lack of a long-term solution for the homeless people is a questionable issue, as they would only have shelter at the building for the winter. It would be interesting to see whether the two United legends decide to extend their help to the homeless, beyond the winter months.