Morrissey helps Salford Lads' Club

[mell]

I just saw this...did this just happen? Either way, yay for Moz!
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....elps_save_club

Morrissey helps save club
Exclusive Deborah Linton
28/12/2007

MUSIC legend Morrissey has given a £20,000 gift to the Salford club he made internationally famous.

Salford Lads' Club became a mecca for devoted fans of the singer, who fronted cult Manchester band The Smiths, when it featured in the iconic artwork for their 1986 album The Queen is Dead.

Volunteers who this year embarked on a £1 million campaign to restore and upgrade the iconic Edwardian building suffered a massive setback when thieves climbed scaffolding to steal guttering and lead from the roof in July.

Now the Davyhulme-born singer has given the fund to protect the grade II listed building a massive surprise boost.

Delighted

Project manager Leslie Holmes said: "Fans travel from all over the world to visit Salford Lads' Club and I think they will be as delighted as we are by Morrissey's support.

"I imagine that it is their dedication that made him aware of our cause and I hope that his contribution will now alert others to it.

"It is an unexpected and wonderful gesture particularly coming from a Manchester lad - it does a great deal for relations between the two cities."

Although the singer was never a member of the club, a room inside was dedicated to The Smiths in 2004 - its centenary year - for the international attention brought by the iconic black and white photo which is now part of the collection at London's National Portrait Gallery.

The red-brick club, in St Ignatius Walk, Ordsall, is used by around 200 members and is one of the few original lads' clubs still standing in England, remaining virtually unchanged with original fittings including a boxing ring, snooker rooms and a brick-walled gym with a viewing balcony.

It falls within a regeneration area and developers LPC Living helped raise the first £250,000 for crucial roofing work. But July's vandalism left the restoration fund short of the same amount after it was used to pay a security fund to monitor the site. Morrissey's donation pushes them back up to the £330,000 mark and will be used to put insulation into the roof and carry out work on the ceiling.

Club secretary Brian Ball added: "Morrissey and The Smiths made a big difference to Salford Lads' Club by having their picture taken outside in 1986. They were never members of the club and didn't even come from Salford, so it's a marvellous gesture by Morrissey to give support to the future of our club."

The fund benefited from another cash boost when property tycoon Chek Whyte gave money to the roof project after working undercover in the city as part of Channel 4's Secret Millionaire programme.

[Uncleskinny]

I just saw this...did this just happen? Either way, yay for Moz!
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....elps_save_club

Morrissey helps save club
Exclusive Deborah Linton
28/12/2007

MUSIC legend Morrissey has given a £20,000 gift to the Salford club he made internationally famous.

Salford Lads' Club became a mecca for devoted fans of the singer, who fronted cult Manchester band The Smiths, when it featured in the iconic artwork for their 1986 album The Queen is Dead.

Volunteers who this year embarked on a £1 million campaign to restore and upgrade the iconic Edwardian building suffered a massive setback when thieves climbed scaffolding to steal guttering and lead from the roof in July.

Now the Davyhulme-born singer has given the fund to protect the grade II listed building a massive surprise boost.

Delighted

Project manager Leslie Holmes said: "Fans travel from all over the world to visit Salford Lads' Club and I think they will be as delighted as we are by Morrissey's support.

"I imagine that it is their dedication that made him aware of our cause and I hope that his contribution will now alert others to it.

"It is an unexpected and wonderful gesture particularly coming from a Manchester lad - it does a great deal for relations between the two cities."

Although the singer was never a member of the club, a room inside was dedicated to The Smiths in 2004 - its centenary year - for the international attention brought by the iconic black and white photo which is now part of the collection at London's National Portrait Gallery.

The red-brick club, in St Ignatius Walk, Ordsall, is used by around 200 members and is one of the few original lads' clubs still standing in England, remaining virtually unchanged with original fittings including a boxing ring, snooker rooms and a brick-walled gym with a viewing balcony.

It falls within a regeneration area and developers LPC Living helped raise the first £250,000 for crucial roofing work. But July's vandalism left the restoration fund short of the same amount after it was used to pay a security fund to monitor the site. Morrissey's donation pushes them back up to the £330,000 mark and will be used to put insulation into the roof and carry out work on the ceiling.

Club secretary Brian Ball added: "Morrissey and The Smiths made a big difference to Salford Lads' Club by having their picture taken outside in 1986. They were never members of the club and didn't even come from Salford, so it's a marvellous gesture by Morrissey to give support to the future of our club."

The fund benefited from another cash boost when property tycoon Chek Whyte gave money to the roof project after working undercover in the city as part of Channel 4's Secret Millionaire programme.

I just saw this too. What a fantastic gesture.

Peter

***EDIT*** After the bike ride and Chek Whyte, this has been a good year for the SLC after the kids nicked the lead off the roof.

[Grim O'Grady]

excellent post, excellent news

love

Grim

P.s. anyone thought of contacting Johnny?

[Jones]

What's the betting when this gets posted on the front page our resident trolls will slag him off for not giving more?

[Uncleskinny]

What's the betting when this gets posted on the front page our resident trolls will slag him off for not giving more?

If they do, I'll mark them down.


Peter

[paintavulgarpicture]

I'd heard ages ago about the problems of Salford Lads Club, and remained quite disappointed by the fact that Morrissey nor the other members of the Smiths had helped out, despite making the building an icon. So, I am really pleased about this, thanks for posting



p.s - not that I'm particularly saying Morrissey or the other Smiths have any moral obligation to donating money to the cause. I'm just saying that it's a good thing for the Salford Lads Club to remain intact, and I'm glad Morrissey is obviously supporting this, as it is a definite destination in any Smiths tour of Manchester and the surrounding areas, and afterall it houses the Smiths room, and holds various Smiths events, i.e the cycling trips.

[Kewpie]

I'd heard ages ago about the problems of Salford Lads Club, and remained quite disappointed by the fact that Morrissey nor the other members of the Smiths had helped out, despite making the building an icon. So, I am really pleased about this, thanks for posting



p.s - not that I'm particularly saying Morrissey or the other Smiths have any moral obligation to donating money to the cause. I'm just saying that it's a good thing for the Salford Lads Club to remain intact, and I'm glad Morrissey is obviously supporting this, as it is a definite destination in any Smiths tour of Manchester and the surrounding areas, and afterall it houses the Smiths room, and holds various Smiths events, i.e the cycling trips.

It's good to hear that Morrissey also cares about SLC.
I heard that other Smiths members donated to them, you just didn't know about it.

[snapyou]

the iconic Edwardian building suffered a massive setback when thieves climbed scaffolding to steal lead from the roof in July.

[/I]

Wonder if they were influenced by Vicar In A Tutu ?

"I was minding my business
Lifting some lead off
The roof of the Holy Name church "

[Lorimoz]

Nice one Mozza.
I visited the SLC in the summer with a couple of friends and it is a special
place for kids as THE SMITHS room is for us .
The volunteers were all very charming and helpful.

[Buzzetta]

It's a simple case of remembering your roots. Any amount that they (Morrissey and the rest of the band) gave is admirable since it is obviously a place that has become part of his history.

[mozmic_dancer]

That is great news. Hooray for Morrissey!

So, who here was the little birdie that whispered in his ear?

[Abrahan]

that morrissey. what a guy.

[ThisCharmingGirl]

Very good gesture.

SLC is the Mecca for any Smiths fan. My friend Biel and I were there in summer and we could meet one of the volunteers (Lesley). What a nice and kind person he is! He took us a photo in front of the door and let us in to the Smiths room, lovely place with all that stuff, photos and dedications of fans from all over the world

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

What a sweetie. I know Moz has talked about the architecture and character of Manchester before, it's good to see him helping to preserve it.

[Morrissey the 23rd]

I was given the 'pleasure and privilge' of opening The Smiths room. Cutting that ribbon was an incredible honour and one I'm extremely proud of.

[Uncleskinny]

I was given the 'pleasure and privilge' of opening The Smiths room. Cutting that ribbon was an incredible honour and one I'm extremely proud of.

I'd forgotten about that. What an honour - I think everyone who helps the SLC should be proud of themsleves, Chek Whyte, the bike-riders (what a fantastic day that was), and all who help - especially Lesley.

Peter

[vivabob]

thats such a great gift .... i hope more secret millionaires give dosh

[mell]

What's the betting when this gets posted on the front page our resident trolls will slag him off for not giving more?

If they do, I'll mark them down.

Peter

If this gets on the main page, I really hope people don't trash him. That would break my little heart. (Mark down the trolls, Uncleskinny!!!!)
What Morrissey's done is such a wonderful gesture and he should be applauded for trying to help out. I hope the SLC can be preserved and one day I'd like to take a picture outside of it!

[Uncleskinny]

If this gets on the main page, I really hope people don't trash him. That would break my little heart. (Mark down the trolls, Uncleskinny!!!!)
What Morrissey's done is such a wonderful gesture and he should be applauded for trying to help out. I hope the SLC can be preserved and one day I'd like to take a picture outside of it!

Will someone explain to me how this multi-quote thing works - I've never been able to figure out how to multi-quote, especially from different posts. Gawd, I'm dense.

Peter

[CrystalGeezer]

Will someone explain to me how this multi-quote thing works - I've never been able to figure out how to multi-quote, especially from different posts. Gawd, I'm dense.

Peter

I like to think I'm sort of brainy and I just figured it out a few days ago. In the order you want to quote you hit "multi." Then on the last quote you hit "quote." I think.