A popular Salford pub is set to host a night of entertainment and performances in aid of the ‘horrifying events’ in Ukraine.

Manchester Writers for Ukraine, which is set to take place at The King’s Arms on March 25th, will see a host of poets, authors and performers come together to raise money for the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for humanitarian aid.

Photo credit: Ian Carrington as Fat Roland
Photo credit: Ian Carrington as Fat Roland

The event has been organised by writer Kate Feld, who lectures in Journalism at The University of Salford, alongside Ivan Wadeson and writer Adam Farrer. With performances from integral members of the Manchester creative scene, including Peter Kalu, John McAuliffe, Cheryl Martin, Reshma Ruia and more.

“We are all horrified but that horror doesn’t really do anything unless it can move us to take some kind of helpful action” said Kate.

“We should all try to do whatever we can, and what they need right now is money so that aid workers in the region can buy what people need.”

“We have put together such a fun line up, with writers that represent a very broad range. We’ve got novelists, comedians, poets; it is going to be a really moving and entertaining evening”

Set to perform is two time Saboteur Award winner, Ian Carrington, who is better known by his stage name ‘Fat Roland’ – in honour of the noise a Roland synthesiser makes, not the Grange Hill character.

“It was a really easy decision, I got a message saying ‘you can say no’ but it was yes, I am definitely saying yes” said Roland.

Manchester Writers for Ukraine Illustration by David Bailey

“Manchester is really good at coming together, its our way of doing something we know we can do well and raising money for a good cause”

Greater Manchester is a member of UNESCO Cities of Literature, a group founded in 2002 with aims to promote the culture of both developed and developing nations, with 42 cities signed up including Lviv and Odessa in Ukraine.

The night will include a filmed poetry reading of ‘So I’ll Talk About It’, originally penned by Ukrainian artist Serhiy Zhadan, performed by poets from different Cities of Literature.

Tickets are £9.90 and are still available to buy via WeGotTickets. The event is on March 25th at The Kings Arms on Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN, with doors at 7pm.

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