 This April Oxfam is running its second annual Music Month, with Oxfam shops all over the country hosting live bands and pop quizzes, organising club nights and selling rare and signed vinyl and CDs. It’s a chance for Oxfam shops to really show off their music collections, and make people aware that Oxfam put your music donations to good use.
Music makes a difference
Oxfam sold more than £3 million worth of music and music-related items in 2004. The average record album sells for about £4, although rare vinyl can fetch a lot more. A single by Jimmy Page sold for £450, and an LP dedicated to Jimi Hendrix went for a cool grand.
The money raised from music sales is spent wherever it is most needed, on both development programmes in over 70 countries and emergency response. To give you an idea of the difference you can make by donating or buying music via Oxfam, three CDs sold at £4 each allows us to buy two radios providing isolated farmers with access to weather reports and flood warnings. Radios have also been distributed to the tsunami victims to provide lifesaving health education.
Events
Each of the 150 shops associated with Music Month will decide for themselves how they want to promote Oxfam music, which means there’ll be a great range of events. We’ve picked three of the best to give you an idea of what’s on offer across the UK:
Sheffield University campus shop
Over the past few months, they’ve been getting artists who have performed at the union to sign CDs, and are now selling them on eBay. Among the goodies on offer are CDs signed by Natasha Bedingfield, Embrace, Travis, Fatboy Slim and Gomez. If you fancy a quick bid, you can see the auctions via our eBay link on this page.
Sheffield student union is also running a ‘Blockbusters’ club night on 25 April in association with Oxfam. Music Month posters will be on show, and some of the proceeds will go to Oxfam.
Manchester Emporium shop
A local acoustic band will play in the shop between 2.00 pm and 5.00 pm on Sunday 10 April, and an Oxfam music night has been planned for 1 May. It’s happening in the Night and Day Café near the shop, headlined by Cornish indie band Haven and supported by quirky indie outfit Cranebuilders and local boy Liam Frost. Tickets priced £7 are available either from the Night and Day Café or online at www.ticketline.co.uk.
Reading Duke St shop
At the end of April this shop will run a music quiz in one of the local pubs, with some juicy prizes on offer for those who know their Abba from their Elbow. For more info drop into the shop and speak to Simon Goodchild.
Signed Beatles posters!
All of the shops will have limited edition Beatles posters signed by Paul McCartney, priced £4.99 for A3 size or £2.99 for A4. You’ll have to hurry though, as we only printed 3,000. Check out where your nearest Oxfam shop is by using our store locator. |
