Northern mayors to go head-to-head in charity DJ battle

Northern Mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram will compete in a large-scale DJ Battle fundraiser in Liverpool.

The pair will take to the decks on Friday, February 2, 2024, at Camp and Furnace, as Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region compete in a friendly music battle for a good cause.

Northern mayors to go head-to-head in charity DJ battle

The charity event will serve as a sort of round three rematch for the pair, with their first encounter taking place online during the pandemic and an award-winning follow-up in Manchester in December 2022 raising over £25,000.

The night will distribute the proceeds between the Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester charities, with all funds supporting initiatives to tackle homelessness and end the need for rough sleeping. Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside will direct the proceeds to homeless charities across the Liverpool City Region.

The funds will be used to support A Bed Every Night, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity’s flagship ongoing programme that provides emergency wrap-around support to those sleeping rough, including guaranteed food and shelter.

Tickets for the February game will be available soon, and fans are encouraged to follow the charities’ and Mayors’ social media accounts to be the first to know.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“I’ve long said that our region is the undisputed home on British music and I’m looking forward to going head-to-head with Andy to settle this debate once and for all. Best of all, this year’s contest is on home soil!

“Despite all the light-hearted jokes we make about regional tribalism, we were absolutely blown away by the support and generosity of everyone who got behind last year’s DJ battle and donated to such a cause that’s very close to all our hearts. Afterall, the measure of any decent society is how it treats its most vulnerable citizens – and we’re showing that the North West will always stand united in support of those who need it most.”

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester said:

“We’re coming back but this time we’re heading over to Liverpool. I was so proud of what we achieved with our DJ Battle last year, using the power of music and friendly rivalry to unite behind one powerful message, that homelessness has no place in Greater Manchester. It’s going to be bigger and better this time round, as we spread the fundraising and ramp up the noise over in Liverpool.”

Last year’s celebration at Manchester’s Mayfield Depot included Rowetta, Nihal Arthanayake, Stanley Chow, and Clint Boon for Manchester, and Peter Reid, Ian McCulloch, The Farm, and actress Sue Johnston for Team Liverpool. It famously saw Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner MP swap the dispatch box for the decks with a now viral clip of her spinning N-Trance’s ‘Set You Free’.

It’s all part of a regionally coordinated and innovative effort to address the issue of homelessness. Communities are facing increasingly difficult challenges as a result of the current financial crisis.

The Greater Manchester Mayor’s Chairty remains steadfast in their belief that they can address the challenges of increasing adversity through campaigns, events, and challenges that have raised millions of pounds to date.

Tim Heatley, Chair of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, said:

“The last DJ battle was epic. It ramped up the friendly rivalry between the two city regions and saw the Mayors and region’s cheerleaders all giving up their time for a common goal. Music has the power to unite communities and these head-to-heads have shown the willingness of music-lovers to put their hand in their pockets, support a worthy cause and have a great night in the while doing so. We’re getting warned up for Liverpool and can’t wait to bring the party to the city.”

Rae Brooke, Chief Executive of Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside, said:

“We’re so pleased to be working with Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity for DJ Battle round 2! It was clearly such a great night last time, and the funds raised were phenomenal. This year, it will be even better and I’m delighted that we can be part of it.”

Since its peak in 2017, the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity’s A Bed Every Night has helped to combat homelessness across the region. It has assisted nearly 6,000 people since 2020, with 2,910 people supported in the last year alone. There are currently 658 people in A Bed Every Night who would otherwise be homeless.

Mayor Rotheram of the Liverpool City Region is experimenting with a novel new approach to addressing homelessness. Housing First has assisted hundreds of local residents in transitioning from homelessness to self-sufficiency, with 90% retaining their tenancy. This is in addition to the region’s Assertive Outreach Service, which has assisted hundreds of people who were rough sleeping or at risk of doing so by finding them temporary housing and providing physical and mental health support.

The Lancashire and Merseyside Community Foundations give money to charities and community groups in the Liverpool City Region. Their knowledge of the sector enables them to identify and reach out to charities in their community, including lesser-known charities working at the grassroots level, ensuring that charitable awards result in long-term change.