How a Manchester charity turned these two strangers into close friends

Anne Pheasey and Trish Cartner were strangers when they were matched by charity Manchester Cares last year. Now, though, the duo have become great friends despite the age gap between them.

They have now shared their heart-warming story as the charity which brought them together seeks vital funds in The Big Give Christmas Challenge, which helps good causes.

Manchester Cares has also spoken about the scale of social isolation across the country and how people worry about it.

Anne and Trish’s story

Anne, who is 71 and from Miles Platting in Manchester, was matched to 30-year-old Trish from Rochdale in April 2020 by Manchester Cares.

Anne signed up to the Manchester Cares network in 2018 as a way of making social connections in her community and has since been to 183 social clubs.

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck social connections became tougher to maintain and Anne and Trish were matched through the one-to-one friendship programme called Love Your Neighbour which the service offers.

They kept in touch regularly by phone and were able to meet up at the Hip Hop Chip Shop in June this year.

Since then they have been exploring the best of Manchester’s food venues together.

The two women regularly chat on WhatsApp and over the phone for hours at a time, and meet every few weeks for a meal. They’re also planning to go to the football soon.

What Anne and Trish said about their friendship

Anne, who is a retired care worker and lives alone, said: “Trish and I can talk about anything and we have quite a lot in common – last year she was moving house and I was selling mine – so we could share trials and tribulations.

“Trish is into art and I’ve recently discovered I can draw the odd thing so we talk about art too. We love to talk about the murals and street art around Manchester.

“Our age difference means we can learn from each other. I can learn about the younger generations – I’ve found that younger people are much nicer than you read about in the papers!”

Trish, who works as a collections coordinator at Manchester Hip Hop Archive, runs charity The Crimson Wave and lives with her partner Jonny and dog Phife, said: ”I hadn’t heard about Manchester Cares before my friend began working with them - but as soon as I heard about the concept, I wanted to be involved.

“Although I was living in the Northern Quarter at the time of sign-up and had a good work and social balance, I felt that I lacked meaningful connections with people in my community.

“The move from a small village in Rochdale where everyone knows everyone to a busy hustling and bustling city centre where I didn’t know my next door neighbour was a tough transition for me.

“Manchester Cares not only provided a space where I could meet new people, but also where I could try new experiences and learn about the great community spaces around me.

“Throughout the pandemic, the Love Your Neighbour programme became a real lifeline for me - knowing I had somebody to check in with on a regular basis when access to friends and family was limited was a really enjoyable and much-needed connection.

“Me and Anne can talk for hours, catching up with each other on day-to-day life, recent social clubs we’ve attended with Manchester Cares, as well as music and movie recommendations.

“I’ve really enjoyed the development of my relationship with her, it feels like I’ve known her for years. We’re never short on conversation.

“Anne reminds me to keep exploring and keep trying new things! It always inspires me when I speak to Anne and she tells me about the different social clubs she’s taken part in.

“She has an incredible energy and outlook on life – she’s my reminder to live life to the full and to explore new opportunities that come my way.”

What is The Big Give Christmas Challenge?

The Big Give Christmas Challenge is an annual festive season effort to support good causes.

More than 900 charities, including Manchester Cares, will be taking part in this year’s event.

Donations made to a good cause through the challenge between 30 November and 7 December will be match-funded by The Big Give.

What has Manchester Cares said?

Manchester Cares spoke about how it would use money donated during The Big Give Christmas Challenge to support other people establishing close connections.

It also shared some numbers about the scale of social isolation across the country.

Isabel Rivera from Manchester Cares said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted younger and older neighbours’ mental and physical health.

“Around 39% of UK adults don’t think their feelings of loneliness will go away after the coronavirus crisis. Yet, 11.9 million people in the UK lack digital skills to get connected online and 52% of those people are aged over 60.

“During the darker, colder winter times, when it’s harder to get outside, bridging this digital divide is critical to social inclusion and creating a more connected community in Manchester.

“That’s why Manchester Cares is taking part in The Big Give to raise money to bring older and younger neighbours together through technology as well as in-person.

“Between January and March 2022, Manchester Cares will use the money they raise through The Big Give to mobilise younger volunteers to give in-depth tech support to upskill their older neighbours.

“Because we know that loneliness can’t be alleviated through technology alone, we’re also taking part in The Big Give to fundraise for 36 face-to-face winter social clubs this festive season and support 60 one-to-one friendships like Anne and Trish through our Love Your Neighbour programme and our outreach programme that will help us find and connect with neighbours who are most at risk of isolation this winter.”