The Manchester Superheroes

It’s 2020. Britain is in the middle of a viral pandemic and the country is in lockdown. Streets are deserted, shops are closed and people are staying at home to protect their lives. Meanwhile, something has started to happen in Manchester… help is at hand…

A group of superheroes have risen to the challenge and are going out on the streets. Their mission is to bring some cheer to the city’s children who are stuck at home, often sick or self-isolating to protect themselves from illness – like little Ava who is battling with leukemia. Batman, Wonderwoman, Spiderman, Captain America and others have been joined by Disney and Pixar characters such as Snow White and Woody. Every day they have been going out to visit young children who await them from a safe distance – often from a front window or across the garden. Many greet their heroes with drawings or have dressed as their favourite character themselves.

A rumour circulating is that these superheroes are in fact ordinary Manchester people working under cover, raising funds for the NHS as they go. One of my friends is a spokesperson for the heroes. Emma Ainscough (who looks suspiciously like Wonderwoman – the two have never been seen in the same place at once), told me what it was about. “They do it for the children.”, she says. “Most of them are really fed up with being unable to go out and enjoy the sunshine as they would normally. Some are quite poorly, so they’ve been really excited to see their favourite hero. It makes their day”.

It is hoped that these acts of heroism in Manchester will inspire other towns and cities to call upon heroes of their own. That way, they may bring a smile to their children as well.

Some people who give to their community do so for what they can get out of it themselves. With Emma there is no agenda and her involvement is purely altruistic, done for no other reason than to bring happiness to young children. It’s all done for the smiles – not for rewards or adulation. Hopefully it’ll make lives easier for parents who have been struggling to keep families happy during the lockdown. However, that doesn’t mean a friend doesn’t deserve a shout out when she’s doing something great for others.

To support the cause, or know more about what the Manchester superheroes have been up to, then you can read all about it at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/stockport-spiderman.