Charity Open Mic Night at the Alto Lounge
Raising funds for Team Charlie
Caversham coffee hangout Alto Lounge is holding a series of events in May to raise funds for Team Charlie, the charity set up in memory of Charlie Ilsley from Emmer Green, who died of a brain tumour aged just 13.
This includes an open mic night hosted by Andy Chaplin, where local musicians including first-time live performers can step up to the stage and have a go. Anyone who would like to perform can book a slot by messaging them on Instagram: @altoloungecaversham.
There'll also be a 30-minute karaoke slot at 10pm which is just a bit of fun to finish off the night!
Customers can also take advantage of a 'Tapas Tuesday' deal with a free 175ml house wine or glass of prosecco when buying a tapas board.
The fundraising initiative has been recently launched by Alto Lounge’s team as a way of connecting with the community by working with local groups, charities, organisations and businesses. Each month it chooses a local charity to support through a number of fundraising events held at its venue, from bake sales and charity raffles to quizzes and personal challenges. Over the past few months it has raised over £1,000 for Forget Me Not Reading Rescues, Alzheimer’s Society UK and Bowel Cancer UK.
Louise Wisniewski, Community Liaison at Alto Lounge said: "We are super excited to have Team Charlie as our charity for May - many people remember Charlie and it is such a worthy cause created in his memory. The response we’ve received since we started the initiative only a short while ago has been extremely positive and it’s great that so many people are getting behind us to support it. It is rapidly growing in momentum and we’re seeing more and more customers, old and new, come along to not only help raise much needed funds for local causes but also have a good time themselves."
Toni Ilsley, Charlie’s mother and Trustee of Team Charlie said: "I’m really touched that Alto reached out to say they wanted to help us. It’s such a brilliant initiative, not just in terms of fundraising but it’s also a great opportunity for the community at large to get together and have some fun. It lifts everyone’s sprits."
For more info and event updates, visit: facebook.com/altolounge.caversham or Instagram: @altoloungecaversham
