Music industry charity The Music Circle has announced details of its yearly jumble sale and revealed that it will be sending Charlotte Church as an ambassador on a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the end of March.
The charity raises money for women within the DRC via Oxfam, supporting local non-government organisations and helping communities to improve the protection of women subjected to abuse within north and south Kivu.
Church will visit some of the projects that The Music Circle funds and help raise awareness about the poverty and inequality that exists for women in the country.
“Charlotte is a great spokeswoman and she’s very passionate,” says founder of The Music Circle Emily Cooper. “She's a great artist to represent The Music Circle and to go out to the DRC and really get the most out of the trip.”
Now in its third year, the jumble sale - Rumble in the Jumble 3 - will take place on Saturday, April 26 at Bethnal Green's Oval Space from midday – 6pm.
Items up for grabs will include donations from artists such as signed merchandise and clothing.
Last year Foals, Bat For Lashes, Damon Albarn and Paloma Faith got involved and over £16,000 was raised. BBC Radio 1’s Gemma Cairney will host the event.
"Nothing is overpriced. People will be able find something that’s really unique that won’t cost an absolute fortune,” said Cooper.
The Music Circle is made up of female managers, agents, radio/TV producers, writers and PRs who work in the music industry. It’s a subsidiary of Annie Lennox’s The Circle.
Set up in 2008 by Lennox and Oxfam, The Circle is a partnership of women who bring ideas, skills and other resources to the table to help Oxfam fight poverty and inequality. To date, The Circle has raised almost a million pounds for Oxfam.
“This is about women empowering women,” added Cooper. “Women within the music industry being able to fund the protection programmes out in the DRC to help women to protect themselves – that is what always drives us. It’s great that there’s a group of women in the industry getting together and trying to make a difference.”
To get involved in The Music Circle and donate or run a stall at the jumble sale, get in touch with Emily Cooper at emily@everythingcountspr.com. The event’s Facebook page is here.