Yesterday, at the Old Pint Pot pub, Fie and Risha Lancaster from Coffee4Craig met Salford poet JB Barrington, who handed over 10% of the proceeds from his recent sold out show at Salford Arts Theatre to the voluntary organisation which helps homeless people and those in poverty.
JB didn't invite the Salford Star down to get publicity but to explain why Coffee4Craig stands out for him...
"I did some poems on the Bez In Bed thing, and then watched it for the rest of the week; Fie and Risha came on and I saw what they did" he explained "There's so much charity stuff out there but for the first time in a long time I was quite moved. It was more the sense that they weren't selling you something, it was just genuine people.
"I just felt this connection and thought `Right what can I do?'" he added "I had a sold out show at Salford Arts Theatre, and decided to give 10% of the ticket sales. I didn't do it to try and be popular or anything, it was the only thing I could think of. Marvin Cheeseman, who supported me, also gave 10% of his fee. Then Alan, Bez's manager, phoned me up and asked me to do the Black Grape gig, and when he mentioned it was for Coffee4Craig I said `Of course', so I'm really looking forward to that too."
Indeed, Black Grape's Kermit told the Salford Star that the whole band were behind Coffee4Craig's "awesome cause" (see full interview – click here). The support is growing every day for the organisation which has only been established for just over a year; set up after a guy called Craig - Risha's brother and Fie's brother in law – was found homeless and dead on the streets of Cardiff.
The girls decided to set up a viral campaign in Salford, Manchester and Cardiff, where people would just buy homeless people a coffee and say `That's from Craig' – but the organisation has just grown and grown, and now sets up temporary homeless shelters, food kitchens, clothes and food banks; just aid in any possible way for those in poverty or on the streets. It's a massive Salford self-help voluntary success because those behind Coffee4Craig are totally real...
Yesterday, writer Simon Williams was also present at the pub, donating 100% of the proceeds of the first week's Kindle sales of his new short story book Hidden Depths; while the Salford Star also handed over half a dozen incredible Aran wool hats knitted and sent in by reader and Salford artist Mary Lorraine Mchugh, now resident in Ireland. Mary is currently creating a whole team of knitters to make woollen blankets, throws and more hats.
These are just a few of the many, many projects that are currently helping Coffee4Craig, which have left Fie and Risha a bit stunned...
"It's amazing" said Fie "A bit overwhelming really because all we feel like we're doing is something that we feel passionate about, which is just helping people, just doing what we can to get out there and try and make a bit of a difference to some people's lives.
"It's all we've ever wanted to do" she explained "We never wanted to become anything involved in media or publicity or anything like that, it's just happened - and then people like JB and Bez got involved, and then the Black Grape gig – what's that about? Seriously! It's just a bit overwhelming. Simon's donated the entire profits of his book, and these hats are absolutely beautiful, we've got ladies that come to us regularly so they've got names on them already.
"If all we're doing is raising awareness for a crisis that's happening on our doorsteps then we've done a good job" Fie concluded "I'm happy with that..."
For more details on Coffee4Craig see either the Facebook pages or click here
To contact Coffee4Craig phone
07543 590330 or 07973 955003
Email: info@coffee4craig.co.uk
Drop off donations at Cofee4Craig, Lancaster House, 7-11 Lancaster Rd, Salford M6 8AQ
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