Tuesday, 8 January 2013

Trades Club donates £5000 to Flood Fund

The Trades Club has donated £5000 to the Community Foundation for Calderdale to help buy floods kits for local households.

The money was raised at a series of fundraising gigs including a sell-out gig show by punk legend Patti Smith who donated her whole fee to the appeal. Local acts Pepperjam, Owter Zeds and Mean Business, supported by DJS Flash Atkins, CP and Havana Candy, all appeared at the Trades in the wake of the devastating deluge that flooded hundreds of homes and the club's cellars.

The club wanted to support the Community Foundation because they stepped in to help club members who were flooded making grants averaging £650 to help cover damaged goods.

"This generous donation will help us fund approximately 100 flood kits for local families who were all victims of the worst floods in recent memory,"
says Community Foundation CEO Steve Duncan.

"The kits contain a range of useful items including reusable aqua sacs or hydra snakes to stop water coming in, candles and waterproof matches if people lose power, rubber gloves and hand sanitizer, plastic sheeting and snap lights, so if we get hit again those families are prepared. We just want to say thanks to all the performers who gave their time as it will make a big difference."

Once the Trades had cleaned up their cellars they were determined to help out and a few calls later the local artistic community had signed up for the sell out gigs.

"The Trades felt we had a duty to do something for the local community who are so supportive of our events, and we were staggered by the positive response from local acts some of whom had been flooded too," says Ents Manager Mal Campbell.

"I think everyone will be delighted to hear we are helping buy flood kits that will give people along the valley some much needed peace of mind that they will be prepared if we have another biblical deluge."

To apply for one of the flood kits email steve@cffc.co.uk or rachelj@cffc.co.uk