The North West’s media community has come together to help save the legendary Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club with a campaign including over 140 billboard spaces generously donated by Clear Channel, JCDecaux, and Ocean Outdoor, alongside ad space from Global, Ladbible, Blis, Spotify, Manchester HOME, and a coveted prime time Coronation Street spot from ITV.
The historic club is on the brink of closure, facing an urgent need to raise £250,000 by the end of November to stay open and to ensure its future. Established in 1904 by James Grimble Groves and William Grimble Groves, who were partners in the Groves Whitnall Brewery in nearby Regent Road, founded the club which is more than just a community centre it is a cornerstone of Salford’s cultural heritage and a cradle of British musical history.
Many renowned artists, including members of The Smiths, have passed through its doors, with the club and its distinctive façade immortalised in the band’s iconic imagery and referenced in music history.
To help drum up vital fundraising support for the club, facilitated by dentsu and in an unprecedented move for the North West’s media community, is a hugely impressive network of over 140 out-of-home billboards and digital advertising sites. Situated across Greater Manchester and Salford the truly impressive generously donated sites from Clear Channel, JCDecaux, and Ocean Outdoor have the call-to-action poignant message: “Don’t let the lights go out” and feature QR codes allow for instant donations. The scale of the sites donated will make the campaign unmissable across the cities and beyond.
The campaign is further supported by a broader media push, with charitably donated advertising space from Spotify, Blis and LadBible, with cinema and radio to follow from HOME and Global, amplifying the campaign’s reach. This level of collective action highlights the pride and dedication that people feel toward preserving the club’s legacy. From individuals to major corporations, the campaign has rallied unprecedented support to reach the ambitious fundraising target it’s been a rallying cry to preserve an institution that embodies Salford’s spirit, resilience, and artistic soul.
This incredible media collaboration has been produced alongside a powerful new social film that celebrates the club’s enduring influence on generations of musicians and youth alike. Featuring real club alumni including longest serving club volunteer Dennis Lewtas and Blane Heaney, a former club member turned youth worker who credits the club for providing stability, the film premiered during the ad break of Coronation Street on November 18, a strategic moment intended to reach a wide and supportive audience – ITV also donated the peak time TV ad space free of charge.
In another heartfelt gesture of solidarity, the Manchester Arndale Centre will switch off its Christmas tree and surrounding festive lights for one evening, standing alongside Salford Lads’ Girls’ Club in their urgent bid to secure essential funds. By dimming the festive lights, the Arndale aims to make sure people are aware of the lights going out at the club and hope to inspire the community to help keep donating and keep the lights on and doors open.
The campaign has been a collective effort, with thanks also owed to Universal Music, Johnny Marr, Warner Chappell Music and Morrissey.
“We are incredibly grateful and deeply moved by the overwhelming support we’ve received,” said Laura Slingsby, a representative of the club. “The dedication shown by dentsu and the many media outlets rallying around us is beyond inspiring. To see our story, our heritage, and our mission brought to life on such a large scale has been humbling. Every donation, every shared message, and every bit of awareness raised is a lifeline that helps ensure the future of this club and the young people it supports. We can’t thank everyone enough for helping us keep the lights on for the next generation.”
Robin Wight CVO CBE a descendant of the founders James Grimble Groves and William Grimble Groves said: “My great grandparents who founded the Salford Lads Club would have been amazed and delighted that the media industry of Manchester came together with digital posters, television, radio and something called social media to sustain their generosity of 120 years ago. All of us involved in ensuring the survival of this magical Club recognise that without the generosity of so many, and the support of the media industry our mission would fail. Thank you”
Julie Chadwick, joint managing director of Dentsu Creative, said: “I am immensely proud of the collective effort from everyone at dentsu in supporting the Salford Lads and Girls Club. This club represents more than a physical space; it’s a vital institution that has supported and empowered young people for over a century, fostering community and creativity in ways that resonate deeply with our values. Seeing our teams from Carat, Dentsu Creative, dentsu and The Gate Films unite behind the campaign has been inspiring. It exemplifies the power of collaboration and shared purpose, showcasing the very best of our organisation. Together, we’re ensuring that Salford Lads and Girls Club remains a place of inspiration, safety, and opportunity for generations to come.”
The GoFundMe campaign, launched on October 13, 2024, has garnered 1,200 donations so far receiving notable support from Salford Council, local businesses, football fans, and musicians including Morrissey and The Courteeners.
To further galvanise support, the club has organised some more events for the final stretch of its campaign:
- Manchester Music Exhibition hosted by Kyle Dale of Bittersweet Home in November
- The exhibition features an interview with the original Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll, hosted by music writer and author John Robb
- Brudenell Record Fair hosted at the club in November
The campaign celebrates the club’s longstanding legacy and aims to ensure that it remains a safe, welcoming, and vibrant space for Salford’s young people for hopefully many years to come.
