Oddly, on the very same day as the newspapers reported on the Bishop of Manchester, and his 'smallish' six bedroom house, not being big enough to house migrants, there was another story next to it.
This one involved the ex-Manchester United and England player Gary Neville (who has recently been sacked as manager of Spanish side Valencia). He and business partner ex-footballer Ryan Giggs, had acquired a rather handsome grade II listed Victorian building, right in the centre of Manchester for £1.5 million, which was formerly the old Stock Exchange Building. They plan to renovate it, and turn it into a high end hotel and spa.
However soon after purchase, it acquired some unwanted early 'guests', when around thirty 'homeless' men, who had recently been evicted from another nearby office block, moved in without necessarily having the door keys. These men expected that the footballers would immediately apply to the courts to get them evicted .....
However, in a side to his personality that perhaps is not always seen on his TV appearances, Mr Neville took a different approach. He contacted the homeless 'activist' Mr Wes Hall, who represented the group and said that he had "... no problem with you staying . Look after the building, respect the building". The men were therefore allowed to stay in the building over the winter months.
This meant that the 'Manchester Angels Homeless Rights' group which Mr Hall represents, had a firm base of operations for several months.
An interesting contrast in the two stories ..... one man, a rich footballer and therefore often portrayed as a group of money mercenaries, spontaneously shows compassion and kindness when he didn't have to, and indeed wasn't expected to. Whilst the professional man of god, reacts rather less spontaneously when it comes to his own possessions.
This one involved the ex-Manchester United and England player Gary Neville (who has recently been sacked as manager of Spanish side Valencia). He and business partner ex-footballer Ryan Giggs, had acquired a rather handsome grade II listed Victorian building, right in the centre of Manchester for £1.5 million, which was formerly the old Stock Exchange Building. They plan to renovate it, and turn it into a high end hotel and spa.
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| Old Stock Exchange .... Soon To Be Hotel and Spa |
However soon after purchase, it acquired some unwanted early 'guests', when around thirty 'homeless' men, who had recently been evicted from another nearby office block, moved in without necessarily having the door keys. These men expected that the footballers would immediately apply to the courts to get them evicted .....
However, in a side to his personality that perhaps is not always seen on his TV appearances, Mr Neville took a different approach. He contacted the homeless 'activist' Mr Wes Hall, who represented the group and said that he had "... no problem with you staying . Look after the building, respect the building". The men were therefore allowed to stay in the building over the winter months.
This meant that the 'Manchester Angels Homeless Rights' group which Mr Hall represents, had a firm base of operations for several months.
An interesting contrast in the two stories ..... one man, a rich footballer and therefore often portrayed as a group of money mercenaries, spontaneously shows compassion and kindness when he didn't have to, and indeed wasn't expected to. Whilst the professional man of god, reacts rather less spontaneously when it comes to his own possessions.
I too was pleased to hear of Mr Neville's magnanimity, even if it was the least one could do. It doesn't surprise me that a professional man of God has trouble practicing what he preaches because despite what he preaches he's no different to the rest of us, there being no white beardy guy in the sky imbuing his emissaries with patience and understanding.
ReplyDeleteIt s always easier to spend other peoples money, or offer their resources as available, than it is to offer ones own things. Politicians are particularly adept at this.
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