HMG Paints sponsored a new project, City of Champions, during the 2022 World Cup. Students from across North Manchester, England, have celebrated the World Cup with a football-themed event at Manchester’s newest independent cultural venue, Love Factory. Students from primary schools in Collyhurst were invited to take part in the event at the new 89,000-sq-ft multi-purpose venue, which is hosting screenings of every England World Cup fixture during the tournament. Collyhurst has also been the home of HMG Paints since it was formed in 1930.

The City of Champions event – other sponsors included Victoria North developer Far East Consortium (FEC) and contractor CRUK – saw young football enthusiasts receive free coaching sessions from UEFA-qualified coaches, Football Kings, as well as talks from the founders of Classic Football Shirts and Miss Kick. The schools included in the City of Champions event were Saviour CofE Primary School, St. Malachy’s Catholic Primary School, and Abbott Community School.

“As a proud member of the Collyhurst community, we’re proud to support this great event,” said John Falder, HMG Paints chairman and chair of Greater Manchester Academies Trust. “HMG Paints have a long history of working with local schools on projects and engaging with the community, and we’re fully behind this great initiative. It’s great to see the Irk Valley becoming a hub not just for manufacturing innovation, but also for events that bring the community closer together.”

Having already hosted 1,300 fans for England’s opening game against Iran on Monday, Love Factory World Cup 2022 presented an experiential program of events, with matches streamed live on three 200-sq-ft screens. The Official Carling Fan Zone combined live matches with exhibitions from Classic Football Shirts, interactive activities, street food vendors, and exclusive hospitality.

Part of Manchester’s fast-changing New Town neighborhood, the former Dantzic Warehouse has been leased by FEC to local creatives Connecting Dots Group. The new venue is just one of a number of sites being reactivated as part of FEC’s development of Victoria North – one of the United Kingdom’s largest urban regeneration projects, which will create 15,000 new homes in Manchester city center over the next 10 years.

“We’re excited to bring this amazing space back into action for the city, with the World Cup acting as a great opportunity for people to see it for the first time,” said Olli Ryder, founder of Connecting the Dots. “The site itself is uniquely steeped in the industrial history of Manchester, and will soon be home to an eclectic mix of high energy events, from food festivals and music events to exhibitions and theater productions. With major broadcasters like Sky Sports already hosting events here, Love Factory is set to be a major addition to the city.”

“It’s great to be working with Connecting the Dots on this initial activation, and that we can use this building to bring together children from the various schools in the local community to learn more about the importance of sport in our wellbeing, and how sport can connect people and communities,” said Jake Scott-Thrale, asset manager at FEC.

For more information, visit: www.hmgpaint.com.