Heavy metal group Metallica made a substantial donation to a Manchester-based homeless charity after playing a sold-out concert at the city’s Etihad Stadium.

The group gifted more than £40,000 to Coffee4Craig, a street kitchen and food bank for the city’s homeless community.

An image tweeted by the band’s All Within My Hands foundation showed a picture of the group handing over the cheque following Tuesday’s gig.

They wrote: “Thank you to all the fans attending #MetInManchester tonight for joining @metallica in supporting @coffee4craig, as they support vulnerable people in their community.”

Hendrix Lancaster, who co-founded the charity with his wife Risha, said the money was enough to fund the charity for the next year.

He told the Press Association: “The donation from Metallica blew us away, not only the financial donation but all the leftover food from catering and dressing rooms went to our out-of-hours drop in in Manchester City centre to feed the homeless.

“The reaction from the publicity has exceeded our expectations and has had a huge effect on raising awareness of the wider issues around homelessness, food poverty and all the work we do within the community.

“The band members were genuinely interested and just as excited as us when they handed the cheque over.

“It was an honour to be involved for the day and myself and (volunteers) Mandi and Conor were treated like VIPs.

“It was fantastic to be able to give something back to two of our volunteers. A night we’ll never forget.”

Councillor Sue Murphy, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, said: “It would be hard to find a more deserving charity than Coffee4Craig to receive this incredible donation.

“The actions of the band are truly humbling and will go a huge way in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in Manchester.”

The veteran US rockers, who have won multiple Grammys and sold tens of millions of records around the world, are known for their charitable work.

Last year they announced they were donating about £800,000 to 10 community colleges in the US to boost their career and technical education certificate programs.

Founded in 2017, the foundation aims to create sustainable communities, fight hunger and support local services.

Through it the band are donating money in every town or city they visit on their WorldWired Tour, which next month takes them to Europe.

The band’s current line-up includes singer-guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo.

Scrutiny would prove emperor has no clothes

The money men backing Boris Johnson in the Tory leadership contest don’t want him held to account in case too much public scrutiny reveals that this would be emperor has no clothes.

As far as Johnson is concerned Brexit has always been a means of achieving the premiership.

The same now applies to all the other candidates who know that Brexit has already cost the country dearly in terms of lost investment and lost well paid jobs, most notably in Leave voting constituencies. They dare not talk about the national interest because it’s now diametrically opposed to their own self interest.

Brexit is already happening and has destroyed the ironically named Conservative and Unionist Party which is now indistinguishable from Farage’s Brexit Party with same single self-destructive policy.

Margaret Phelps

Penarth

This is just not funny

Nigel Farage would “pick up a rifle” if Brexit wasn’t delivered. He made the comments two years ago at a private function in Southampton.

Obviously, if it had been a comedian who was making a joke, during the broadcast of a comedy show, that was then deliberately misconstrued as an incitement to violence then we would waste no time investigating the matter – but as this was Nigel Farage at a political rally he’s pretty much allowed to say whatever he likes.”

Andrew Nutt

Bargoed

Great weekend of musical variety

I had a wonderful weekend filled with musical variety and I would like to share my experiences with you.

On Saturday afternoon, it was a pleasure to make a piano performance of Chopin’s Etude Op25 Nr.12 at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of performing at this magnificent all-Steinway college.

Later, I watched Elton John’s concert at Cardiff City Stadium and enjoyed listening and dancing to his fabulous music. This rock concert was a lovely contrast to the classically styled concert I made myself at the college. I look forward to having similar experiences.

Aled Thomas

Llandaff

We need to look at wage structure

Whilst many people are more than willing to jump up and down and complain about the salaries paid to politicians it seems they are oblivious to the extortionate amounts paid to some public service employees. For example the Chief Executive of Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board.

The Chief Exec is paid – I hesitate to use the word earns – around £170,000 a year plus benefits. For this princely sum she has presided over a maternity service that is now in special measures; waiting lists for all manner of procedures and operations that show no signs of shortening; a reorganisation that has seen vital services taken out of the Royal Glamorgan and staff shortages that have led to problems for staff and patients across the board.

Is it any wonder that there have been calls for her to resign?

Meanwhile the chair of the Health Board is sitting pretty on approximately £60,000 a year for a job that was advertised as a part time, 15 day a month post. That is almost twice the average salary of a midwife. Average salary mind, many earn less.

It is about time someone took a serious look at the wage structures in the public sector, and at least ensure that if someone is being paid that sort of salary then they are earning it.

Karen Roberts

RCT Welsh Lib Dems

The Sydney Opera House has launched its latest campaign,‘Where Inspiration Lives’, a campaign intended to communicate the possibilities and excitement children and families can experience at the world-famous performing arts centre.

To coincide with the launch of the campaign, the Opera House has signed a new two-year partnership with national screen advertising supplier Val Morgan, which will result in a ‘Where Inspiration Lives’ 60-second video being screened in Dendy, Event Cinemas, Hoyts and Palace Cinemas across New South Wales.

Launching in cinemas this Thursday, ‘Where Inspiration Lives’ follows a young girl’s imagination inside a makeshift sails-shaped cubby house as she recounts a recent trip to the Opera House to her wide-eyed younger brother.

Under the magical glow of a flashlight, they’re both transported to the Opera House where together they explore beneath the sails of Australia’s most famous building.

Along the way, the pair comes face-to-face with much-loved children’s characters Spot the Dog, One the Bear, Beep, and dinosaurs from Erth, all of whom feature in the Opera House kids’ programs past, present, and future.

The video, created by Connecting Plots and produced by Infinity Squared, was developed to promote the Opera House’s Children, Families & Creative Learning program, which aims to inspire young people of all ages and backgrounds in the arts.

Sydney Opera house director of programming, Fiona Winning said: “This campaign beautifully captures the wonder and magic of a child’s imagination.

“It’s that very same sense of wonder, awe and magic that we seek to create when people visit the Opera House.

“We are passionate about programming that inspires and delights audiences of all ages and we love this campaign’s invitation to dream, which the Opera House’s Children, Families & Creative Learning program offers.”

Winning added: “It is wonderful to have the opportunity to share this story on-screen in cinemas across New South Wales, with the support of Val Morgan.

“The Opera House is a place for everyone and partnerships like this play a vital role in broadening our reach and connecting us to diverse communities as well as highlighting the incredible experiences available beneath these famous sails.”

This new partnership will enable content to be shared through Val Morgan and VMO’s network of nearly 12,000 screens across the country, reaching 12 million Australians through its cinema and outdoor advertising networks.

Val Morgan managing director, Guy Burbidge said: “We are excited to be partnering with one of the most iconic venues in Australia, the Sydney Opera House, a brand synonymous with culture, passion and memorable experiences.

“At Val Morgan, we connect brands to the most passionate people and there is a great synergy between our audiences and those of the Opera House.

“We are thrilled to be starting this partnership journey and providing one of the most engaging platforms to launch this new brand story.

“We can’t wait to make the truly beautiful messages of the Opera House memorable to all of Australia.”

Burbidge continued: “Through our cinema and outdoor advertising networks we influence audiences in the moments that matter, engaging consumers throughout their day when they are looking to escape, achieve and explore.

“The ‘Where Inspiration Lives’ is the first of many campaigns where the Opera House will be able to reach over 12 million Australians in moments that matter.”

A FUNDRAISING concert is set to be held to raise money for the Blaenavon Heritage Railway, from which thieves stole £14,000 last October.

A safe containing the money was taken during the railway’s Ghost Train event in the lead up to Hallowe’en

. The safe had been secured to the wall and the floor of the booking office, and contained the takings from the four-day event.

The concert, organised by Blaenavon councillor Alan Jones, will start at 7pm on Saturday June 22 and will be held at the Blaenavon Workmen’s Hall.

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It will feature performances from the Blaenavon Male Voice Choir, the Blaenavon Ladies Choir, and the Blaenavon Town Band.

Cllr Jones said: “A huge thanks goes out to Blaenavon Town Band, Blaenavon Ladies Choir and Blaenavon Male Voice Choir also the Workmen’s Hall for supporting the event.  

“It should be a fantastic night and hopefully everyone will enjoy the joint concert.”

Blaenavon Male Voice Choir performing at Cardiff Museum. Picture: Blaenavon Male Voice Choir.

Phil Tiley, chairman of Blaenavon Heritage Railway, said they had been blown away by the town’s generosity since the theft.

“We can’t believe the way they have gone out of their way to fundraise for us,” he said.

“We have been overwhelmed by their generosity and would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved.”

(Blaenavon Town Band performing at the 2018 Remembrance Concert at the Workmen’s Hall, Blaenavon. Picture: Blaenavon Town Band.)

Paul Miles, from the Blaenavon Town Band, said: “The band is really pleased to be able to support Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway following their loss and are really looking forward to taking part in the concert with the Blaenavon Ladies and Male Voice Choirs.”

Tickets cost £6, and are available from the box office and will also be available on the door.

The compere will be Torfaen MP Nick Thomas-Symonds.