Meet your new Family Friend – Manchester’s WhatsApp helper for anyone feeling the squeeze

If you live in Manchester and could use a bit of extra help right now, there’s a new way to get support straight to your phone.

Manchester City Council is launching a brand-new WhatsApp community group called Family Friend that will share money-saving tips, wellbeing advice and free things to do across the city.

The group is open to all Manchester residents and aims to bring together useful information in one place - from cost-of-living support to local activities that won’t break the bank.

What you’ll find in Family Friend

The group will share all sorts of practical updates, including:

• where to get free data SIMs and Wi-Fi access
• details of free childcare and family support
• health and wellbeing information
• free or low-cost things to do across Manchester
• a digital cookery book featuring budget-friendly recipes from local communities
• a pull-out poster to help children build key skills before starting school

It’s designed to make life a little easier, giving you quick, reliable updates about what’s available locally to help stretch your budget and stay connected.

Why Manchester is doing this

The idea for Family Friend came from residents themselves, who said they wanted one place to find trustworthy information and reminders about support in the city.

As well as the WhatsApp group, the council is producing digital and printed Family Friend booklets, which will be available in schools and community venues across Manchester.

‘A companion guide’

Councillor Joanna Midgley, deputy leader at Manchester City Council, explained:

“The idea behind the approach is to have a ‘virtual’ friend giving the type of updates that someone you know and trust might share with you.

“This winter will be hard for many and isolation can make money, food, budgeting and health issues feel even worse. This concept isn’t a fair-weather friend – it’s a companion guide to getting what you need and making the most of what Manchester has to offer.”

Councillor Thomas Robinson, executive member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care, added:

“This is a bold new approach and it is also a way of helping to address some of the health inequalities in the city that we recognise in our Making Manchester Fairer action plan.

“That’s why the Family Friend concept also includes posters and details of how to help with your child being ready to start school because we know those early milestones can have a major impact on learning and life chances later on.”

How to join

If you’re in Manchester, it’s quick and easy to sign up. Join the Family Friend WhatsApp group here: manchester.gov.uk/ff-whatsapp