Morrissey Donates £50,000 To Salford Lads Club Fundraiser
Morrissey has donated £50,000 to the GoFundMe campaign to save Salford Lads Club. It was recently revealed that the Manchester youth centre – which famously features in a photograph on The Smiths’ The Queen Is Dead inner sleeve – faces closure unless it can raise £250,000.
Buy The Smiths vinyl and CDs at the Dig! store
At the time of writing, the fundraiser has reached £217,775.
Laura Slingsby, head of youth operations at Salford Lads Club told Manchester Evening News that they are “deeply grateful” for the donation. “His support is more than a financial contribution; it’s a powerful endorsement of our mission and a tribute to the club’s enduring role in the lives of young people and the cultural heart of Salford… “He didn’t wish to make a statement but he is happy if it helps us to go public with it,” she added.
A statement on the GoFundMe page reads, “The Salford Lads and Girls Club has been supporting kids for 120 years. They’ve changed countless lives, nurtured talent, and been a bedrock of friendship and learning. But now this great institution needs our help. The club is facing a financial crisis and needs to raise £250,000 by the end of November to survive. Join the Manchester Evening News in helping the charity which has done so much for young people in our region.”
Initially founded as a club for boys, but now open to all young people, it was officially opened in January 1904 by Robert Baden-Powell, who later founded the Scout movement.
The tiled interior still features many of its original fittings, and was described by English Heritage as “thought to be the most complete example of this rare form of social provision to survive in England”.
Since being featured on The Smiths artwork and in the band’s music videos, the site has become popular with fans of the band eager to recreate their heroes’ iconic pose in front of the venue’s door.
Recognising its place in the tapestry of Greater Manchester’s musical history, Salford Lads Club also has a Smiths room, which is regularly open to visitors.