CCTV specialist AD Group is helping to fuel a ‘virtual’ property boom in Manchester through the purchase of an online replica of Manchester’s Town Hall for £25K to pledge its support to the Forever Manchester charity initiative.
The 12-month ‘virtual’ lease for one of the city’s most iconic buildings has been taken up by AD Group via the Forever Manchester website which gives people the chance to adopt some of Manchester’s best-loved landmarks and buildings.
Forever Manchester, launched by the Community Foundation for Greater Manchester, has created “Forever Manchester Island” a virtual representation of the region, where visitors can make a difference by investing in property or land.
AD Group specialises in CCTV systems for aircraft, transport, property protection and smoke detection. The company, whose headquarters are in Daresbury near Warrington, was founded in 1997. Its largest subsidiary Dedicated Micros has had a connection with the Greater Manchester area for over 28 years, where it was set up by entrepreneur Mike Newton, and still maintains a distribution centre in Oak Street, Swinton.
Nigel Petrie, Chairman of AD Group says: “We are delighted to be one of the first local businesses to contribute to an initiative which will give so much back to the community. This is the largest single donation we have made to a charity and, given our historic links to the area, we wanted to target it at a cause that has a strong Manchester connection.”
Nick Massey, Chief Executive of Forever Manchester adds: “Thanks to AD Group Forever Manchester Island is now firmly on the map! This very generous donation, plus the individual investments we’ve seen on the island so far demonstrate this city’s Mancunian pride, even throughout a time of recession.
“AD Group’s donation is a massive boost to the charity and will be used to help the community groups and social entrepreneurs who make a difference throughout the region, creating an even better Manchester of the future.”
For those who can’t afford to splash out on one of the island’s landmarks, smaller items such as deckchairs, flowerbeds, houses or record shops can be purchased from as little as £5. They can be personalised with their own message, so even those struggling to get on the property ladder can get their own piece of virtual real estate.
For more information on Forever Manchester please visit: www.forevermanchester.com.
