Plenty of football fans have a kick about on a Sunday, but tomorrow 30 teams representing digital companies across Manchester will take part in the annual Creative Cup to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.
The Creative Cup is a five-a-side tournament between Manchester’s creative, digital and marketing agencies, which returns to the Power League Manchester Central for its fourth year. It is the brainchild of 28-year-old web designer Ian Cox, who had the idea after leaving his full-time job and going freelance.
“I was playing football with a few of the different design agencies in Manchester and came up with the idea of a big competition,” he said.
“This year we should have around 28-30 agencies coming up against each other in a World Cup style 5-a-side competition. Each team will play in a group and then the best teams in each group will go through to the knockout stage.”
As well as providing the opportunity to network in between tackles and goal celebrations, the event raises money for a chosen charity each year.
“We have averaged around £2,000 a year for Marie Curie, St. Ann’s Hospice and Cystic Fibrosis Trust, and hope to do the same for the Alzheimer’s Society. All four of these charities have helped someone I personally know,” said Salford-based Mr Cox.
“We will break the £10,000 total barrier next year – great work by the creative community in Manchester.”
The money is raised with the help of sponsors UKFast and Synergist and through team registration, with each team playing four to six quick games. Companies which have become regulars of the Creative Cup include digital agencies Bliss, Code Computerlove and PushON.
Jon Strutfield, Managing Director of Bliss said: “It’s great fun – a friendly tournament against friends, peers and competitors.”
Creator Ian Cox enjoys the competitiveness of the Creative Cup and said: “People take it seriously, myself included. I’ve probably actually put off people from contacting me due to my competitive nature on the pitch. It’s all good fun though and once we are in the pub afterwards it’s all a laugh.”
By Judith Hawkins
Plenty of football fans have a kick about on a Sunday, but today 30 teams representing digital companies across Manchester will take part in the annual Creative Cup to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.
The Creative Cup is a five-a-side tournament between Manchester’s creative, digital and marketing agencies, which returns to the Power League Manchester Central for its fourth year. It is the brainchild of 28-year-old web designer Ian Cox, who had the idea after leaving his full-time job and going freelance.
“I was playing football with a few of the different design agencies in Manchester and came up with the idea of a big competition,” he said.
“This year we should have around 28-30 agencies coming up against each other in a World Cup style 5-a-side competition. Each team will play in a group and then the best teams in each group will go through to the knockout stage.”
As well as providing the opportunity to network in between tackles and goal celebrations, the event raises money for a chosen charity each year.
“We have averaged around £2,000 a year for Marie Curie, St. Ann’s Hospice and Cystic Fibrosis Trust, and hope to do the same for the Alzheimer’s Society. All four of these charities have helped someone I personally know,” said Salford-based Mr Cox.
“We will break the £10,000 total barrier next year – great work by the creative community in Manchester.”
The money is raised with the help of sponsors UKFast and Synergist and through team registration, with each team playing four to six quick games. Companies which have become regulars of the Creative Cup include digital agencies Bliss, Code Computerlove and PushON.
Jon Strutfield, Managing Director of Bliss said: “It’s great fun – a friendly tournament against friends, peers and competitors.”
Creator Ian Cox enjoys the competitiveness of the Creative Cup and said: “People take it seriously, myself included. I’ve probably actually put off people from contacting me due to my competitive nature on the pitch. It’s all good fun though and once we are in the pub afterwards it’s all a laugh.”
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
