Some of the biggest names in music will help raise cash for Hospitalty Health at the Radisson RED in Glasgow when they perform over a two-day virtual festival called REDFEST2 this weekend.
The glass-walled Red Sky Bar at the Radission RED will play host to The Fratellis, Baby Strange, Stephanie Cheape, Johnny Mac and the Faithful, Dave Seaman, Anthony Pappa, BOg, Seamus Haji, Illyus and Barrientos and Rebecca Vasmant who will all perform at the streaming event which runs over Friday 19 and Saturday 20 March.
Sub Club icon Harri, Illyus and Barrientos, RED resident Michael Kilkie, Rebecca Vasmant, Beth and Go Radio’s Stevie Lennon will be representing their homeland.
Jon Fratelli said: “We are delighted to be involved with this great cause – the hospitality industry has been so badly impacted by what we are all living through and we are hugely concerned about the mental health of our friends in hospitality and music venues. Without these amazing people we have no venues and therefore no live music so we want to do all we can to help. We are very happy to be part of REDFEST 2 at the Radisson RED and hope you’ll all join us to try to lift spirits and raise money for such a great cause.”
The hotel has raised more than £11,000 for charity over the last year and boss Graham Chalmers is hopeful of hitting the magical 20k number this time.
He said, “So many businesses in hospitality from hotels to bars to clubs to venues are going to the wall in this crippling environment, so we really wanted to do something to help. That’s why we chose Hospitality Health as our charity partner for REDFEST2.
“They do amazing work in helping people in our industry and the money raised over our weekend event will help train staff to look after their colleagues’ mental health which is a brilliant initiative.
“We hope to be open by the end of April with our staff back at work properly but for now we want to do all we can to help people connect and feel a bit of normality and have fun.”
Gordon McIntyre of charity Hospitality Health is thrilled that the festival will pay for them to train hospitality workers as mental health first aiders.
He said, “We are fortunate Radisson RED have selected us as a partner before but this major two-day event with huge names is very exciting.
“Fundraising has been difficult during the crisis but we are delighted we have been receiving funds from organisations raising funds on our behalf – like the Radisson RED. We paid for 32 staff to go through mental health first aider training at the end of last year which has been hugely helpful.
“So the funding from REDfest2 will be used to pay for and support further training for mental health first aiders, staff are anxious and stressed about returning to work and really need this help.”
REDFEST 2 is streamed on the Radisson RED Glasgow Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/radissonREDglasgow
and MIXCLOUD https://www.mixcloud.com/RadissonREDGlasgow/
the dance night also goes out on www.thisisgo.co.uk