By Stephanie Prayle & Helen Le Caplain
A new campaign for Manchester unity is being launched in defiance of last week’s riots.
‘I Love MCR’ has been rolled out by Manchester Arndale and Marketing Manchester in a bid to encourage residents and business owners to stand together against anti-social behaviour in their city.
The campaign will feature a ‘We Love MCR Day’ on August 26 – a day for Mancunians to celebrate their city, according to the chiefs behind the idea.
SHOW OF UNITY: Notes on the ‘I love MCR’ message wall in Manchester Arndale (photo thanks to http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenrbullock/)
Glen Barkworth, general manager at Manchester Arndale, said that he was proud at the way people had reacted to the events.
He said: “The manner in which staff, retailers and the people on the streets of Manchester have responded to the atrocities of this week is exemplary of the true Mancunian spirit.
“This campaign embodies that and galvanises people in a common good cause which will put Manchester back on the map for all the right reasons.”
DEFIANT: Graffiti outside the Diesel shop, which was targeted in the riots
Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, added to the praise.
He said: “Mancunians are incredibly proud of their city. We have seen this in the extraordinary outpouring of emotion from the people of Greater Manchester.
“We saw it in their response to the mindless violence on Tuesday and we have seen it in the way they took to the streets to clear-up the mess that was made.”
The campaign and celebratory day is boosted by social networking sites Facebook and Twitter, through which people can share their ideas on how to show love for their city.
The logo for the movement can be adopted as a profile picture or as a ‘twibbon’ for social networkers to show their support, Manchester businesses are trending on Twitter with the hashtag ‘ilovemcr’ to proclaim their support, and celebrities have been photographed wearing t-shirts sporting the logo.
Crusaders are being asked to take photographs of themselves wearing the logo in the hopes to make it visible all over the city before August 26.
City centre resident Paul Hayhurst said: “I love my city and was sickened by the actions of the rioters and looters. This is a great way for people to unite and show they will not put up with vandals.”
A message wall has been set up inside the Arndale for people to publicly pledge their support and good will on post-it notes.
Find the campaign at www.facebook.com/WeLoveMCR
SIGN OF THE TIMES: A shop window display in the city centre Debenhams store
More related stories:
How I almost became a rioter: An account of the Manchester riots
Rioters’ faces to be broadcast across Manchester in police’s ‘Shop a Looter’ campaign
Volunteers praised for cleaning streets of Manchester hours after looting and rioting
