March is Oxjam month with thousands of fundraising music events

Through out this month Oxjam, the biggest music festival in the UK, will playing host to thousands of events put on by music lovers.

Oxjam will offer everything from large-scale festivals to local sponsored busks – taking over stages, back rooms and street corners to make music and raise money for Oxfam with gigs, DJ sets, busks and much more. All raising money to fight poverty around the world.

Ricky Wilson from Kaiser Chiefs, who headlined the Winter Wonderland shows in December to raise £40,000 for Oxfam, said, "Kaiser Chiefs are proud to be Oxjam supporters. It's Oxfam's way of raising vital funds for its overseas work. Oxjam's about music fans picking up their instruments to help fight poverty, by getting involved on any level you're helping a very worthwhile cause."

Since the launch of Oxjam in 2006, more than 36,000 musicians have taken part in almost 3,000 Oxjam events nationwide. The festival has raised more than £1 million for the charity since it was created in 2006: enough to buy 31,000 emergency shelters, safe water for 1.3 million people, or buy 40,000 goats.

Oxjam manager Benny Littlejohn said, "Because everyone that takes part is the real star of Oxjam, it's really captured people's imagination. Every gig, DJ set or busk will help us raise money to tackle poverty around the world, as well as making for a month of great entertainment for music fans."

Confirmed events across the country for March include:
The Mad Music March of the North - musicians taking to the streets in cities across the north of England to celebrate Oxjam.
Mamma-Mia and High School Musical sing-alongs in Dorset.
A vampire-themed ball with a metal soundtrack in Maidenhead.
A folk music pub crawl around the heart of Leighton Buzzard.
Battle of the bands competitions in Bristol and Cardiff.
'Charity shop rock' in Northampton - clothes from Oxfam, music for Oxjam, money for Oxfam.

Tom Smith, singer with long-term Oxfam supporters Editors, said, "What better way is there for music fans to help fight worldwide poverty than Oxjam? It's fantastic for us to be involved, raising money at the shows and letting our fans know what can be done. Whether it's busking, playing in an orchestra or performing at a local gig, every note played can help change people's lives."

To find out what Oxjam events are going on in your area this October, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam or call 0870 905 9060.

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