A club night in Manchester is looking to help those in need by amassing food bank donations in a somewhat unusual way.
Instead of asking punters to pay in with cash, promoters are asking revellers to bring tins of beans and other non-perishable items down with them on the night to gain entry to the party.
A minimum of eight is required to get through the door, and once you’re in, you’ll be treated to a festival-worthy line-up, full of acclaimed artists who’ve all waived their fees for the cause.
Image: Hit and Run UK
The club night, called Food 4 Thought, has been running since 2016 and every year raises a huge amount in both food and financial donations for the Trussel Trust, which both supplies and works to end the need for food banks in the United Kingdom.
For obvious reasons, the night has had a forced hiatus for the past two years – but now it’s back, revived with impeccable timing in light of the growing cost of living crisis.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking on the event and its importance in helping the community, organiser, DJ and promoter Rich Reason said: “Sadly, food bank usage continues to be on an exponential rise, with demand currently double what it was last year – which was the worst on record until that point.
Image: Hit and Run UK
Image: Hit and Run UK
“The cost of living crisis is biting Greater Manchester’s most vulnerable hard, and anything to help our local foodbanks is needed more than ever. This year all the food and essentials will be collected by Salford Foodbank, which is part of The Trussell Trust.
He continued, highlighting the plight of Yemenis and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in their home country, adding that once costs are covered any profit from the event will go towards the Yemen Emergency Appeal.
He said: “Yemen continues to be one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, suffering a long-standing bombardment by Saudi Arabia, as well as Famine.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Once our low costs are covered, all profit will go to the Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Yemen Emergency Appeal.
Image: Hit and Run UK
“One of the best, if not THE Best NGOs, you can trust them to get the aid to the people who need it most.
“This is a line-up worthy of any festival, and it speaks to the incredible charitable spirit of this city’s artists, plus a few more with close links to our scene.
“Some of the biggest names in Bass Music will be there to entertain you…. for just 8 tins of beans!”
Taking place at Six Trees Kitchen in Trafford on Saturday 14 May, the event will spread across two stages with a line-up of some of Manchester’s finest bass music DJs, producers and MCs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Image: Hit and Run UK
Look out for the likes of DRS, Dub Phizix, Chimpo, Skittles, Werkha, Konny Kon (Children of Zeus DJ set) Eva Bee and Biome, alongside many more on the packed line-up where tickets should, in another world, cost well over £10 a head.
Sound will be managed by Dropjaw Audio in the Courtyard, and by Neuron Audio Visual Ltd at the extra Live Stage being built on the decking for the event – so you know it’s going to be bassy, it’s going to be loud, and it also should be absolutely crystal clear.
For those who want to support the cause but aren’t able to attend, they can make a financial donation by purchasing a ticket for the event here.
Alternatively, they can contribute to organiser Rich Reason’s sponsored swim, which is taking place this month and also raising funds for The Trussel Trust.
Feature image – Hit and Run UK
News
Bolton woman who falsely accused 10 men of raping her has been jailed
Emily Sergeant
A woman from Bolton who falsely accused 10 different men of raping her over a six-year period has now been jailed.
Stacey Sharples, 31 from Farnworth in Bolton, pleaded guilty of 10 counts of perverting the course of justice in relation to reports against 10 separate men at Bolton Crown Court earlier last month (2 February 2026), before appearing in court again this week to be sentenced.
The investigation into Sharples was launched after the arrests and questioning of almost all these men, and following the pursuing of all relevant lines of enquiry, which consistently revealed evidence contrary to what had been disclosed by Sharples.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says investigations of this nature are ‘extremely rare’ and the decision to pursue Sharples as a suspect was ‘not one taken lightly’.
“However, it is our duty to act in the public interest and on the evidence and information we uncover and receive, which in this case demonstrated a continuous, wilful making of false allegations, knowing full well the consequences for each of the men involved,” GMP said in a statement following Sharples’ sentencing.
Of the allegations Sharples pleaded guilty to – of which were made over a six-year period between 2013 and 2019 – most of the men were arrested and spent time in custody, with some also undertaking intimate examinations, and almost all spending periods of time on police bail or released under investigation.
Statements from the men accused by Stacey Sharples / Credit: GMP
GMP says there’s ‘no doubt’ the reports and arrests have had an impact on these men, their sense of self and relationships, their wider networks, and how they move forward with their lives.
False accounts also undermine those who have genuinely experienced sexual violence.
Police say it also affects the confidence in the criminal justice system, and that the time spent investigating Sharples’ reports could have been put towards investigating ‘genuine reports of sexual offences’ instead.
Sharples has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison this week after pleading guilty to making false rape allegations.
Speaking following Sharples’ sentencing this week, Detective Sergeant Steven Gilliland, who investigated this case, said: “We took the allegations made by Stacey Sharples seriously, explored all lines of enquiry and swiftly made arrests or interviewed of all the men she accused.
“We gave her multiple opportunities to provide further explanation or information to us, after interviews with the men and subsequent evidence uncovered didn’t align with her first recollection, as we understand that trauma can impact how victims and survivors recount their experiences.
“Ultimately, as the evidence continued to demonstrate that the reports were untrue, coupled with the desire for justice from some of the men who had been falsely accused, it was right that we followed the evidence and pursued the individual who had actually committed a criminal offence.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Major pop star CMAT pops up for surprise performance in Gay Village bar
Daisy Jackson
CMAT, one of the world’s hottest artists right now, popped up and did a surprise set inside a legendary Gay Village bar last night.
The Irish singer (who is a bit of an adopted Manc at this point) is about to play two massive sold-out shows in Manchester.
She’s set to play at the O2 Victoria Warehouse tonight and tomorrow, performing hits from her chart-topping third studio album Euro-Country.
But before that, it was a night out on Canal Street for CMAT, who stunned punters inside Via by hopping up on stage.
CMAT jumped on stage along with drag queen Ginger Hunter, resident queen Amy Laqueefa, and Dahliah Rivers and belted out a rendition of her smash hit single, Take A Sexy Picture Of Me.
The group – and the delighted audience – all joined her in nailing the choreography to the song too.
Sharing a couple of videos, Via wrote: “What a Night! Ireland’s Pop Princess @cmatbaby paid us a visit and gave us a very special rendition of Take a Sexy Picture! We love Cmat.”
She’d also been spotted earlier in the evening at Lily Allen’s West End Girl show at Aviva Studios.
Dahliah Rivers commented: “A fever dream!!! What a gorgeous evening”
Amy LaQueefa wrote: “Obsessed that CMAT wanted to come and get up with us tonight”
Fast-rising alt-pop favourite CMAT relocated to Manchester as a 17-year-old back in 2013 to pursue her career in music, and it’s fair to say the move turned out to be a positive one.
She’s supported the likes of Sam Fender, and played massive festival slots like Glastonbury last summer.
And now CMAT will head straight from the stage at Via to a much bigger platform, with two sold-out gigs at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on 11 and 12 March.
Georgina Pellant -
5th May 2022 
