Rock legends Rage Against the Machine raise £62k for Shelter
LA rock legends Rage Against the Machine presented a cheque for £62,000 to Shelter at their free gig in Finsbury Park on Sunday June 6th 2010.
The free gig was held to thank British fans for getting their single ‘Killing In the Name Of' to the number one spot last Christmas following a hugely successful campaign on facebook.
The campaign was the brainchild of Jon and Tracy Morter from Essex who set up the fan powered page on the social networking site calling on people to download the song to stop the X Factor single reaching the festive number one spot.
The couple also appealed for people to make a donation to Shelter following advice they received from the charities' free helpline which had been crucial in helping them resolve their housing problem.
The campaign was a huge success with the single selling an amazing 500,000 copies, beating the X Factor rival to number one and raising over £100,000 for Shelter.
During the set, attended by over 40,000 rock fans, the band presented Shelter with a cheque for £62,000 after generously donating all profits from the single download.
This money, combined with funds raised through the facebook campaign and gift aid, has totalled at an overwhelming £185,000 for housing and homelessness charity, Shelter.
Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Shelter said: "This whole campaign has been hugely important for Shelter, both to raise awareness of homelessness and bad housing and raising vital funds for Shelter's work.
"The charity would like to say a huge thank you to the facebook organisers Jon and Tracy Morter for choosing to support Shelter and Rage Against the Machine for the overwhelming donation of 100% profits of the single download.
"With more than one million children in overcrowded accommodation, tens of thousands of families homeless in temporary accommodation and many more facing repossession, our support and advice services are needed more than ever.
"The money raised through this campaign will go a long way to fund the work that Shelter does every day to help people find and keep a home."