News / Shetland Aid for East Africa
TWO MUSIC promoters in Shetland are joining forces to raise money to help people in East Africa who are hit by one of the worst famines in the area for decades.
Tens of thousands of people, mainly children and women, suffer from starvation and malnutrition. More than 65,000 Somali refugee children are severely hit by hunger, according to the UN.
As pictures of the famine are being beamed around the globe, a call has now gone out to all Shetland bands to participate in a Shetland Aid concert, to be held at the Islesburgh Community Centre, on Sunday 14 August.
One of the local men behind the plans, Jeff Merrifield said 25 year ago horrendous pictures of the last famine had sparked off LiveAid.
On Friday he said: “The time has come to act again and this time it is local initiatives that will help make the difference.
“A number of interested parties are putting together a Shetland Aid event where local bands of all shades, young or older, folk or indie, loud or quiet, jazz or rock, come together and help raise money for the people in such a desperate situation in East Africa.
This is a way to both celebrate Shetland music and raise some much needed cash for the famine victims.”
So far the Donald Anderson Band, drummers Aestaewast, Norman and the Folding Deckchairs as well as Brain Nicolson and Maggie Adamson have signed up to the campaign.
Mr Merrifield said they had so far planned an evening session starting at 7pm at the likely cost of £10 per ticket, which are to be available as of next week.
If more bands sign up to the Shetland Aid concert, organisers will also lay on an afternoon session.
All proceeds and donations will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).
Interested bands should contact Jeff Merrifield by email – jeff@playbackarts.co.uk – or Brian Nicholson at High Level Music, at Lerwick’s Market Cross.
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