Manchester vigil book raises £40k for charities

A book being developed by Manchester creatives in response to last month’s bombing in the city has already raised more than £40,000 for charity.

It was revealed last month that 61 Manchester creatives are contributing to a book, This is The Place - Choose Love Manchester, to help raise money for victims' charities and other locally-based charitable organisations. Creative director at video production agency Doodledo Motion, James Torry, began developing the project after hearing Tony Walsh's poem "This is the Place", read live on stage at a vigil after the terror attack at Manchester Arena, which killed 22 and left 220 needing hospital treatment.

Torry told The Bookseller that the response to the book had been overwhelming. "Pre-orders alone were enough for us to hit top spot on Amazon's New Releases chart and stay there for a few days," he said. "We've had support from local businesses offering to cover print costs, one business wanting to buy copies for all of their staff in Manchester (around 300) and in the first week we'll have raised over £40,000 for the charities and funds we're supporting."

The book has an r.r.p of £30 and funds raised will help Forever Manchester - which supports community activity - as well as the Manchester Evening News' fundraising initiative for the attack's victims and the Mayoral fund for homelessness. 

To pre-order This Is The Place - Choose Love Manchester, which will be published in September, visit here.