A Manchester nightclub is helping to feed hundreds of disadvantaged families over the Christmas season, by letting punters pay with food.
Tomorrow night Factory nightclub is throwing ‘Food for Thought night’ and is asking party goers to hand over four non-perishable food items rather than pay cash to get in.
All of food donated will be sent to Manchester Central Food Bank on Christmas Eve. However if revellers want to pay at the door they can and their money will be donated to charity.
The night was thought up by DJ Rich Reason, who has run the bass music night ‘Hit & Run’ in Manchester for the past nine years.
Rich, is working alongside Manchester collective Levelz, which includes well-known DJs and MCs Chunky, Chimpo, Skittles and Dub Phizix, to run the charity party.
In an interview with the Manchester Evening News Rich, said:
We did another Food 4 Thought event earlier this year and it was a huge success, people really bought into the idea of helping others by bringing along food and goods. With that in mind we wanted to do another fundraiser at the most critical time of the year for our city’s most needy.
We want to help support the increasing numbers of people sleeping rough on the streets, or the huge amounts of families who can’t make ends meet despite being in work. As well as non-perishable food items it would be great if people can bring along toiletries as well.
All the artists have agreed to play for free, and Fac 251 and Tokyo Industries are paying for the building. So all the money raised from the night and the food donated will go directly to those who need it most.
The last event Rich hosted rose more than £1,500 and got half a tonne of food so that’s the target he wants to beat this time.
Rich added: “I have said this before but it’s so true – in Manchester artists will happily give up their time for free, it’s going to be great to know that what everyone has come together to help organise might help make a real difference to someone’s Christmas this year.”
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.