Big Coat Day 2023 at FC United

FC United will once again be doing its bit to help those in need, in and around Greater Manchester, this winter through its annual Big Coat Day event on Saturday 4^th November 2023.

What is Big Coat Day?

Big Coat Day is FC United’s annual collection of coats and warm winter clothing to help those in need across Greater Manchester and this year it will take place on Saturday 4^th November at Broadhurst Park prior to FC’s match against Hyde United.

It’s been a regular, and hugely popular, feature of the club’s community programme since 2005 and down the years the club has worked with a number of charities to help distribute warm winter clothing to those most in need. This year the club will be working with Winning Hearts and Minds – an organisation that works to improve heart and mental health in North Manchester - and the British Heart Foundation. We would also like to thank Manchester Cabins who have kindly donated a storage unit free of charge to help store the donations we recieve.

Why are we collecting warm winter clothing?

Each winter it’s reckoned that around five thousand excess deaths occur in the north-west of England simply because of a lack of heating or warm clothing – these are deaths that shouldn’t happen and that can be prevented relatively easily. Big Coat Day represents FC United’s annual attempt to address this issue locally.

What items are we collecting?

This year we are looking for donations of any of the following items (in good condition please):

• warm clothing for adults and children
• men’s and women’s winter coats
• hats, gloves and other winter wear
• thermal gear including sleeping bags and blankets

But why is it called Big Coat Day if we’re collecting more than just coats?

The ‘Big Coat’ title refers to a comment from the club’s very early days when it played its second ever match at AFC Wimbledon in July 2005. On a lovely, warm summer’s day in south west London a television crew interviewed supporters and when one fan was asked whether he’d still be as keen to follow FC United in the depths of a freezing northern winter he replied, succinctly, that he’d “just get a big coat”.

And so, a few months later, in the winter of that first season when the club staged its first collection of clothing for homeless people ‘Big Coat Day’ seemed like an apt, slightly tongue-in-cheek title.

When and where can we drop items off?

Items can be dropped off at FC United’s Broadhurst Park ground in Moston (postcode M40 0FJ) from Monday 30^th October to Friday 3^rd November from 9am to 5pm and on Big Coat Day itself on Saturday 4^th November. Manchester Cabins have very kindly donated a storage container free of charge, once the cabin is delivered to the ground an update will be provided as to where to direct donations. If you can volunteer with the accepting of items on the 4th, please email volunteer@fc-utd.uk

So please have a rummage through your cupboards and drawers and see if there are any items of warm winter clothing (or any other items on the list above) that you no longer need and could kindly donate to this year’s Big Coat Day. Thank you for your support.

For any further information on Big Coat Day please contact our Community Manager: jennie.swarbrick@fc-utd.net or 0161 769 2005