Manchester musicians, celebrities and more are uniting to help save Salford Lads and Girls Club

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Save Salford Lads and Girls Club from closing fundraiser

Salford Lads and Girls Club is under threat and Manchester musicians, celebrities and other important local figures are uniting to help try and save it.

An absolute institution and the site of some of the most important moments in Manc music history, Salford Lads and Girls Club is sadly facing the risk of closure simply due to a lack of funding and the rising costs facing so many organisations around the country.

As the place where countless local artists attended as youngsters and played some of their first gigs, not to mention the same spot where the most iconic photo ever of legendary Manchester band The Smiths was taken, the importance of this location to our region’s culture cannot be overstated.

That being said and with the news that they need to raise serious finances to keep the club going, those who know full well how much it means are doing what they can to keep it afloat.

Much-loved DJ Mike Sweeney, AO founder and CEO John Roberts, The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess and local musician-turned-journalist John Robb from Louder Than War are among those calling for support.

In fact, 82-year-old Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills and Nash has already put money where his mouth is by donating £10,000 to the cause and his generosity has since been surpassed by Salford City Council themselves, who are setting aside a whopping £100k to help steer the club to safety.

As the constituency’s MP Rebecca Long-Bailey told the That’s TV network earlier this week, it is Salford Lads and Girls Club is “one of the most iconic buildings and organisations in Salford and it’s transformed countless lives with their activities.”

Be it the regular sports teams, music events, own charity fundraisers or their annual summer camp which has provided an outlet to generations of those less fortunate who may never have travelled outside their hometown without it, the club has had a huge impact on so many around Greater Manchester.

Indie-rock five-piece and fellow Mancunian band Rolla are also going out of their way to try and help the Grade II-listed by putting on a special one-off gig at the venue itself next month, with “every single penny” going towards keeping the doors open. It sold out almost immediately.

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Whether you’ve ever been there or not, it’s evident how much people care about this place and it’s moments like these when the community bands together that we’re most proud to be Mancs.

We have until the end of November to save Salford Lads and Girls Club and with more than 120 years of history, heritage and culture behind it, letting it die out simply isn’t an option.

The fundraiser has now reached over £130,000 of their overall £250,000 target with the help of council money, so please donate to the official GoFundMe page HERE if you can and help do your bit by resharing wherever possible.

Since 1903, their motto has been “to brighten young lives and make good citizens” – those values aren’t going anywhere. Let’s make a difference.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group