Star date: 17th January 2016

RESIDENTS AND ARTISTES TURN OUT TO SUPPORT FLOOD VICTIMS

On Friday night, DJs, singers and residents turned out in force at the Swinton Legion to help raise almost £1,000 for Forever Manchester's Greater Manchester Disaster Relief Fund. The total raised will be matched by the Government.

"The response has been sensational" said Jonathan Buck, who jointly organised the event.

Full details and photos here...

Friday night's Flood Relief Concert at Swinton Legion brought together singers, bands, DJs and residents determined to raise as much money as possible for Forever Manchester's Greater Manchester Disaster Relief Fund.

On stage were female duo Le Zar, rock pop harmony band, Wolf and Mississippi Soul Man, Malcolm McBride, plus DJs Keith Leigh and Stuart Linguard... "I'm from Salford myself so it's good to help people out" said Stuart "It's a very good cause."

Fellow DJ, Keith Leigh, was also one of the organisers and his dad, Stephen Leigh, steward at the Legion, explained that it didn't take much persuading when his son asked the venue to host the night...

"When he saw what was going on he came to me and said `We need to do something for these people'" Stephen recalled "It has quite an effect on you when you see the damage that's been done and see the people with nothing left, especially at Christmas. So here we are. We hope to raise some good money tonight and we'll keep on going with it afterwards and see where we get."

All the tables at the Legion were full as the venue was dressed for the occasion, complete with a huge illuminated LOVE sign on the stage... "I've come because it's going to be a great night and it's for charity, to help all the flood victims from Salford and surrounding areas" said Liana Lloyd "I think it will be good and raise a lot of money."

The night raised £951, which, the Star understands, will be matched and doubled by the Government. The money will go to the Forever Manchester Greater Manchester Disaster Relief Fund, and Gayle Gamble, representing the charity at the Legion, explained what the Fund was for...

"It is for all the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester and it was born out of the Woolworths fire in 1979" she said "The money just poured in and there was a fund left which set up the Greater Manchester Disaster Relief Fund. We don't have many disasters, thank God, but when we do have one it's big scale; the money is needed there and then, not three months down the line. So it's important that we do these things to get money in the pot, so that if something does happen we've got some funds there to give out to those who need it on the ground.

"As soon as it started to unfold, a couple of my colleagues shot into work, got on the computers and we started the ball rolling getting in touch with the emergency services finding out what was needed" she added "Normally we have community groups that apply for funding but in this instance it was the Council that applied to us. That went to a panel of top people from the emergency services, and then we paid the Council and they distributed it to the local community. I think it was £500 per household. The money from tonight is going back into the Disaster Relief Fund because we need to build the pot back up now."

Joint organiser of the event, Jonathan Buck, paid tribute to those involved in making the night a success... "The response has been sensational from all the people who have helped out" he said "It's just a tragic thing that's happened in Lower Broughton and other areas, and we are going to raise as much money as we can to donate to the Forever Manchester Appeal..."

Photos by Gareth Lyons