HSDC music students to put on Ukraine benefit concert at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea

Under the guidance of tutor Paul Loder, Havant and South Downs College’s UAL Level 3 Music students will be putting on a gig at The Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea in just one week’s time – Saturday, March 12.

The teenagers usually put on an end-of-term concert at The Edge of The Wedge or The Jolly Sailor, but recognising that time is of the essence, decided to bring it forward.

Paul said: ‘Obviously I’ve been watching the news, and then you talk about it with others. Somebody said something in one of my classes: “Have you seen these poor people…?” You just can’t believe it’s happening in 2022.

‘I said to my year one and two students that I felt so helpless and didn’t know what to do.’

They soon hit on the idea of turning the end-of-term concert into a charity gig.

Paul added: ‘But then we thought, there no point in waiting until the end of March or into April to do this – it needs to happen now.’

He contacted Geoff Priestley, the Albert Road music venue’s manager, and as luck would have it, a tour had recently been postponed, suddenly leaving the prime Saturday night slot going begging.

‘The Saturday was perfect – no-one wants to go out on a Monday, so this was ideal. But now we want to sell it out, which is 400 tickets. We will do the extra rehearsals – we will make it work. I would do it tomorrow if I could.’

The Wedge is not charging the college for putting on the gig.

‘We’ve got six bands on the night and they’re all playing covers – it’s going to be very eclectic, there’s everything from The Beatles to Royal Blood, Toto – there’s something for everyone.

All of the proceeds from the gig will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee for the people of Ukraine.

And all many raised by the gig will be match-funded by the UK Government for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The Aid For Ukraine Benefit Gig will take place on Saturday, March 12. Doors at 6.30pm. Tickets £8. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Go to wedgewood-rooms.co.uk.

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The Wedgewood Rooms will also be collecting the following items on the night for the humanitarian aid effort in Ukraine:

:: Baby bottles / Dummies / Powdered milk / Sudocrem / Nappies (all sizes) / Wet wipes / Baby food (jars)

:: Cold and flu meds / wound dressings / First aid kits/ Shower gel / Toothbrushes / Toothpaste / Sanitary towels / Antiseptic / Masks

:: Canned food (with a ring pull) / Pot Noodles / Cup of Soup / Instant foods

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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