Manchester's best create charity album

AN ALBUM including some of Manchester’s best known artists is to be released next month through The Factory Foundation to raise awareness for charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

CALM is a registered charity in the roots of Manchester which runs a free national helpline service four days a week with the aim to reduce the suicide rate among young men in Britain.The collaboration, named Thirty One, includes thirty one tracks from the likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Elbow, I Am Kloot and Everything Everything.

The album was compiled by legendary DJ, Dave Haslam, 50, who said:“I am pleased with the variety of music on the album, it was important to me that it reflected the different generations of music making in Manchester.”

Currently, suicide is the single biggest killer of young men under 35 in the UK with 3400 dying each year. However, since CALM was established the suicide rate has decreased to below the national average in Manchester.

All funds raised will go to CALM who currently deal with 70-1000 calls every month. They aim to increase the length of their service from 5pm until midnight, Saturday to Tuesday to 5pm until 3am, seven days a week.

Esther O’Callaghan OBE, 31, who founded the Factory Foundation, lost her cousin and her aunty to suicide just 18 months apart. She is a strong campaigner for the charity and came up with the concept of the album:

“It is exiting because as much as it is for a great cause it is still a great album and a snap shot of Manchester music. This means people won’t just buy it because it is nice thing to do but because it is a good album.”

Jane Powell, Director of CALM who also co-founded the charity back in 1997 said:“I can’t wait to see Thirty One be released. CALM’s link with Manchester and music dates back to Tony Wilson in 1997 so it’s fantastic to see this support for the charity and for young men from Manchester’s rich music base.”

Thirty One will be released on the 12^th March on The Factory Foundation. It is now available to pre-order at www.thirtyonesongs.com

Limited edition vinyl available exclusively from www.townsend-records.co.uk

By James Bell and Piers Moore