NORTH WEST ACTIONEver since the Boxing Day tsunami disaster, hundreds of thousands of people across the globe have got involved with the relief effort towards helping people in the worst-hit areas of Asia. Find out here how the North West is making a difference.LiverpoolAt the forefront of Liverpool's fundraising plans is new charity Hands Across The Sea, which has been launched by Liverpool City Council to co-ordinate the local humanitarian effort. The charity has announced plans to twin with a Sri Lankan town affected by the disaster, and has already raised in excess of £300,000 towards the appeal. Further information is available from the Charities Trust on 0151 286 5129. Two of Liverpool's top radio stations, Radio City and Juice FM, took part in UK Radio Aid, suspending their normal schedules for a special 12-hour broadcast from London. They joined more than 250 other stations in the fundraising appeal, which reached its target £1m just seven hours into the day-long broadcast. In sport, Liverpool player Steven Gerrard has been named as one of 50 players confirmed to play in FIFA's 'Football for Hope' benefit match at Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium on February 15. The local music scene has also been quick to get involved, with the Liverpool Echo's Tsunami Gala Concert among the first events to be announced. The event, to be held at the city's Philharmonic Hall on February 11, will feature former Spice Girl Mel C, playwright Alan Bleasdale, Gerry and the Pacemakers' frontman Gerry Marsden, and former Brookside star Claire Sweeney. Concert-goers will also be invited to take part in a charity auction, where they can bid to get their hands of items including a selection of Beatles memorabilia, donated by Paul McCartney's brother Mike. Tickets are available now on 0151 709 3789. The city's club-goers also pledged their support by attending the Magnet Marathon, a special DJ event which saw 29 of the city's top club names assembled at the Magnet Club on January 15. And the following day saw chart-topping Liverpudlians The Zutons play a special gig at the Zanzibar to raise money for the British Red Cross. ManchesterElsewhere in the region, the Manchester Million campaign has been launched to help boost the city's fundraising efforts. The campaign aims to raise £1m and kicks off on January 30 with the 'Love From Manchester' gig at the Manchester Apollo, featuring artists including Badly Drawn Boy and Mercury Music Prize nominees Elbow. Tickets are available on 0870 401 8000. For the more classically-minded, the world-famous Halle Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonic have joined forces to appear in a special concert at the Bridgewater Hall on January 27. The concert will be the first time the two orchestras have ever appeared on the same stage. Call 0161 907 9000 to book tickets. And in the sporting arena, Manchester United players Roy Keane, Tim Howard, Gary Neville, Quinton Fortune, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs have recorded a video appeal for UNICEF, urging people to donate to the Asian Tsunami Children's Emergency Appeal. CheshireIn Cheshire, the North West Air Ambulance (NWAA) are taking on an unusual challenge - to go sledding across 160 miles in sub-zero Norway to raise much-needed cash for the tsunami fund. Paramedics Paul West and Justin Mawtus raised £6000 towards the trip and will embark on their trek at the end of February. Those wishing to make a donation can call 0151 527 2511 or send a cheque made payable to Tsunami/North West Air Ambulance to NWAA, Bradshaw House Farm, Rock Lane, Melling, L31 1EP. And Preston-based charity the International Aid Trust have sent a container of emergency aid, including blankets, clothing and hygiene equipment, out to Sri Lanka from their Lancashire warehouse. | 
Inside Out - North West: Monday January 24, 2005
