Artists such as the Manic Street Preachers, Super Furry Animals, Stereophonics, and Cerys Matthews have come together to contribute songs to an album to raise funds for charity Refugee Action.
Meanwhile Tim Burgess from The Charlatans helped to raise £1500 in a matter of hours by tweeting that the last tickets for a Libertines gig in Manchester tonight and a Charlatans gig in London in October would go to people who pledge at least £3 to Refugee Action. More than a hundred people responded.
Uniting under the banner of Welsh Rock for Refugees – Reach Out is a 30-track, download-only album with all proceeds from the release being donated to the UK-based charity that helps refugees at home and abroad.
Charlotte Church, Euros Childs, Grant Nicholas, Game Of Thrones’ star Iwan Rheon and The Alarm’s Mike Peters have also contributed tracks to the album – many of them new songs, unreleased or rarities.
The album has been put together by journalist and music writer David Owens, who said it was the pictures of drowned children washed up on a Turkish beach that prompted him to act.
“I was one of those who shed tears at the harrowing images,” he said. “As a father it broke my heart. I wanted to do something.”
It was then the idea for an album featuring some of Wales’ leading music names was born. “What has resulted has exceeded all expectations,” he said. “In the space of a week the Welsh music community has stood together as one.”
Manic Street Preachers’ Nicky Wire said: “It’s a real honour to be able to give this previously unreleased piece of music to such a worthy cause and for it to sit alongside so many brilliant Welsh artists.”
Another top artist moved to do something for refugees is Tim Burgess lead singer of The Charlatans. He set up a twitter lottery offering the last two tickets to a concert by The Libertines to anyone who pledged £3 to Refugee Action. The response was immediate and he added in an offer to a gig by The Charlatans. £1500 was pledged in just hours.
Tim Burgess from The Charlatans said: “We all have a responsibility to do something about injustice that we see around us. We need to send a message out that we care.”
Refugee Action Chief Executive Stephen Hale added: “These are incredible initiatives at an incredible time. We are so grateful to everyone who has stepped up to support refugees and found quick and creative way to raise much needed funds. Hopefully other bands and artists will follow in their footsteps.
“The public’s response to the refugee crisis has been amazing and will be a lifesaver for Refugee Action and the people we support. We are a small charity reliant on the generosity of our supporters to fund our vital work providing a lifeline for refugees across the UK.”
Refugee Action has launched an emergency appeal to raise £100,000 with every penny going towards crisis support for some of the most vulnerable refugees in the UK, so that no one seeking safety will be forced to live on the streets or in poverty.
To purchase Reach Out – Welsh Rock For Refugees visit www.welshrockforrefugees.bandcamp.com
Media enquiries
For further information please contact the Refugee Action Media Team on media@refugee-action.org.uk or call 020 7952 1560. For out of hours enquiries call 07703 609094.