Alejandro Garnacho and Fred Surprise Loreto High School Students when Visiting Without Prior Notice

At the conclusion of the 2022–23 season, Manchester United players Alejandro Garnacho and Fred paid a community visit to Loreto High School Chorlton, one of the schools supported by the Manchester United Foundation.

Before taking part in a wide range of lessons with enthusiastic students, Garnacho and Fred met with school employees at Loreto, including Romone, the Foundation’s High School Partnership officer. Before joining Fred for a Q&A workshop with sports leaders in the library, Alejandro participated in a Spanish lesson as part of the program.

After that, they went outdoors for some PE, where they played football and joined a game of girls’ rounders to the delight of the students. The players spent nearly an hour talking to more than 100 youngsters and teachers at the school.

Garnacho, on his first official school tour with the club, said (through ManUtd.com): “I really enjoyed meeting everyone on my first visit to a Foundation school and learning more about the important programs that they have for the community.” It was fun to visit the Spanish class and share how much I’ve improved my language skills via immersion in that language.

Fred also had a great time talking to the local youngsters during his community service which earned him the PFA Community Champion award. He remarked, “I’ve really appreciated my time at Loreto today. The opportunity to interact with the children and show our support for the Foundation’s work was invaluable.

“It was encouraging to see kids asking a lot of questions and demonstrating self-assurance out on the field. I’m hoping that our presence here today would encourage them to keep up the good work.

The Salford City College Group and the Manchester United Foundation collaborate on a sports-focused postsecondary education initiative, and the foundation has partnered with 66 elementary, middle, and high schools. An on-site coach works with students, feeder elementary schools, and the community to foster long-term connections across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester and more recently Carlisle, Derbyshire, London, and Derry/Londonderry.