Greater Manchester’s bands unite for charity gig to tackle rough sleeping
The Courteeners, Blossoms and Bugzy Malone are among the stars performing at the O2 Victoria Warehouse.
Some of Greater Manchester's biggest music stars are coming together to perform a major charity fundraiser to tackle homelessness.
Raise the Roof, hosted at O2 Victoria Warehouse Manchester, has already raised tens of thousands of pounds through a text ballot for tickets, funds which will go straight to projects dedicated to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping in all 10 boroughs, including the A Bed Every Night scheme.
The latest figures show that 1598 individuals have now been supported by A Bed Every Night since November, with 316 people accommodated on the night of Monday 20 May.
548 people have also been supported in to more permanent accommodation, from A Bed Every Night.
The Charity, launched at the start of May, already has nearly £650,000 donated by businesses and individuals over the past two years since the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, made tackling homelessness and rough sleeping his number one policy priority.
This evening local artists The Courteeners, Blossoms, Bugzy Malone, Dr John Cooper Clarke and Lisa Stansfield will appear on the same unique bill as performers and fans come together to enjoy the music and make a real difference.
Andy said: “Raise the Roof is going to be a memorable, one-of-a-kind event, a symbol of Greater Manchester coming together for the greater good. I want to thank everyone who entered the ticket ballot, all the fantastic artists who are performing and SJM concerts for helping us to stage tonight’s event.
“It’s great to see the music scene in Greater Manchester, so important and influential and at the core of what it means to be Mancunian, lending its support to tackle the humanitarian crisis that is rough sleeping on our streets.
“Here in Greater Manchester we have seen a fall in the numbers of people sleeping outdoors and A Bed Every Night has played a big role in that. Tonight’s event represents another step forward as we work towards ending rough sleeping here in Greater Manchester.
A host of celebrity guests from sport, TV and comedy will also be attending the concert, including Coronation Street stars Sair Khan, Victora Ekanoye and Mikey North.
The night will also be supported by representatives of Vincent Kompany’s ‘Tackle 4 Mcr’, with a video message from the departing Manchester City Captain to be shown during the concert.
Around 3,200 people will be there.