Mayor issues statement on future of legendary Salford Lads Club

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Salford's mayor has vowed to "do everything we can" to protect the future of legendary Salford Lads Club. The crisis-hit club needs to find £250,000 by the end of November to avoid closure.

At the weekend, the Manchester Evening News revealed that rising costs and a reduction in grant income mean the world famous club, which opened in 1903 with a mission to "Brighten Young Lives and Make Good Citizens", is on the brink of shutting.

A fundraiser launched by the M.E.N. has so far raised more than £25,000 to support the Ordsall-based club. READ MORE: CPS issue update on shocking violence caught on CCTV at Manchester Airport after threats In a statement today, Paul Dennett, the mayor of Salford, described the club's financial plight as "concerning".

He said Salford City Council will "do everything we can to raise the financial support that will protect the future of this iconic local institution." Mr Dennett said: "Salford Lads Club has served children and young people in our city for over 120 years, providing community work, and sporting and cultural activities for generations of Salfordians, and vitally doing this in a relatively deprived area of the city. "With illustrious alumni ranging from Busby Babe Eddie Colman to artist Harold Riley to champion boxer Jamie Moore, as well as being the site of The Smith’s legendary album cover, Salford Lads Club is a integral part of our city’s cultural, musical and sporting heritage. "The news of the Clubs financial troubles, with rising operating costs and drops in funding leading to a shortfall of around £250,000, is concerning. "I welcome the Manchester Evening News’ fundraiser, and the plans to set up a Salford Lads and Girls Club Legacy Fund, to ensure the clubs future