THE Greater Manchester Cares Initiative is being backed by some of the biggest commercial names in the area.

The new organisation's board includes representatives from the Co-operative Insurance Society, Kelloggs, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Barclays Bank, Co-operative Wholesale Society, the BBC and Granada TV.

Manchester City Council and the Community Foundation for Greater Manchester are also involved.

Greater Manchester Cares will co-ordinate business staff from across the region to help projects in the communities in which they live and work.