The Manchester ReachOut Cup 2013

Every year, the ReachOut cup is a great opportunity for our corporate partners to pit their footballing metal against one another in a hard fought competition of endurance, strength and sportsmanship. All of this of course interspersed with the eager consumption of cheese and pickle sandwiches. Every team has the desire to win, but only one can enjoy the honor or lifting that coveted talisman of athleticism, the ReachOut cup!

Our Lady's RC High School played host to the event, on a gloriously sunny Manchester afternoon. We had ten teams taking part this year, including: James Lang Lasalle, Berrymans, Survivors Manchester, Arrow Global, Lewis Hickey, Nando's, Zurich, Simply Health, Glaisyers and our very own ReachOut Team. 

Each corporate team kindly donated funds to ReachOut to help fund our amazing projects. It is great to see so many companies making a commitment to helping disadvantaged young people in Manchester. Thank you guys, we think you are all amazing.

We are also very proud that the tournament was able to play host to Survivors Manchester's first match as a football team. The team made up of service users and members of staff put in a fantastic effort. Here's to many more matches to come guys! 

The group stages were a close run affair with Nando's and Simply health securing semi final spots from Group B, and Berrymans and James Lang Lasalle emerging victorious from group A.

In the Semi finals, Berrymans lined up against Nando's, and Simply Health lined up against James Lang Lasalle. 

Returning champions Berrymans were pushed to penalties by an industrious Nando's side, but Berrymans showed more composure from the spot to secure a berth in the final.

Simply Health scored the solitary goal of the second semi final deep into latter stages of the match, setting up a final showdown with Berryman's.

In the final, the two group winners cancelled each other out with the twenty minute match ending in a stalemate. Cue the second round of penalties of the tournament and it was Simply Health who came out on top, dethroning defending champions Berrymans, despite the valiant efforts of the latter.

Congratulations Simply Health, ReachOut Cup champions 2013.

Several ReachOut volunteers and two of our junior mentors came down to help us run the event. From refereeing matches to collating match results, all of our volunteers helped to make the event a success. Thanks for all the hard work guys.

We want to congratulate all the teams for the fantastic atmosphere that ran throughout the day and the exemplary sportsmanship displayed by all participants. A great day all round!

Luke Shelbourn

Project Manager

Manchester