SUNDERLAND’S biggest artists and best up-and-coming talent have raised over £50,000 for children in need on Wearside in a stunning musical stand against child poverty.
Organised by Sunderland Music City as part of its winter fundraising drive, Music Against Child Poverty LIVE saw more than 10 bands take the stage in front of a capacity crowd at The FireStation in Sunderland.
Tickets, merchandise sales, sponsorship, a charity raffle and fringe events from We Make Culture, NAME and PopFlix helped Sunderland Music City surpass its fundraising goal, in the end donating £51,955 —the most money ever raised at a live event in Sunderland.
All funds go directly to charity Love, Amelia, which helps local children and their families
access the essential supplies they need.
Steph Capewell, founder and CEO of Love, Amelia, said: “Music Against Child Poverty was a powerful moment when two worlds collided; music and community coming together for an incredible show of support. This wasn’t just about raising money but also raising awareness of the critical issue of child poverty and uniting to make a real difference. ‘The atmosphere on the night was electric, with phenomenal talent taking to the stage and creating a buzz that truly captured the spirit of Sunderland. It was a celebration of music, community and hope. With unacceptably high levels of child poverty and deprivation in Sunderland, the funds raised through this event will help us reach over 1,000 local children in need of additional support. Love, Amelia supports thousands of families with children aged 0-16 years with the essential items and equipment children need to be safe, happy, and thrive. Embedded in the community, we hope this inspires more individuals, businesses, and organisations to engage with us and amplify our collective impact for those who need it most.”
“Sunderland proved that it’s not just a music city, it’s a city of compassion, support, and action.” said Michelle Daurat, Chief Executive of the Sunderland MAC Trust which delivers Sunderland Music City. “Love, Amelia is a truly amazing charity and we’re so proud to be partnering with them on this initiative. We’ve never seen anything like this in Sunderland before; Music Against Child Poverty was a truly unique and memorable show that highlighted the incredible musical talent we have in this city. And even more importantly, it will help over 1,000 families in Sunderland have a truly memorable Christmas. We’re so grateful to everyone who gave up their time and put in the effort to help raise money and awareness for such a vital cause. It’s because of that hard work and the overwhelming generosity of the people of Sunderland that we’ve been able to smash our fundraising target. That money is going to make a real, tangible difference to disadvantaged children in our area. This show was a testament to the incredible impact music can have, and Sunderland Music City will continue to harness the power of music to make our city a better place.”
