The Heart of Saturday Night 1.0

PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF VENUE! This first event will be held at the home of one of the organisers, Joe Studwell. There will only be about 60 people, but all other details remain the same. It will still be fun -- maybe more fun -- and those who have bought tickets and buy the remaining few tickets will be supporting Jimmy's and Wintercomfort. Thank you all so much. The Heart of Saturday Night is a new series of monthly events in Cambridge which will be held at Lola Lo’s night club at 1-6 Corn Exchange Street from 7.30 until 10.45. The first of these evenings, billed as HSN1, will be held on Saturday March 2nd. Organised by three Darwin College students who are despondent at seeing so many people sleeping rough on the streets, the events will consist of DJ nights, live music acts, comedy nights, and spoken word evenings. All profits will be distributed between two of Cambridge’s most prominent homeless groups: Wintercomfort and Jimmy’s all-year-round night shelter. We are now in the middle of winter and these two charities are doing sterling work helping those who find themselves without a place to sleep. Contrary to the stereotypical image of the homeless beggar, many of today’s rough sleepers have been forced onto the streets by an inability to pay high rents; to escape domestic abuse (there has been a significant increase in female rough sleepers in recent years); due to mental health issues and concomitant loss of functionality; and because of family break-ups. The events are targeted at a 25-years-plus audience, for which there are presently limited offerings in Cambridge. The ticket pricing is a minimum of £10, with those who can afford it invited to pay more - £20 and £30. The latter price includes an allocated seat at one of a small number of tables (best to book tickets in multiples if you want your group to have a table) and a glass of half-decent prosecco on arrival. Both £20 and £30 ticket holders are classed as VID (Very Important Dancer) and the organisers will be particularly charming to them. HSN1 will feature a mix of classic rock and roll, classic other stuff, and a leavening of disco filth. Fear not. You will want to dance. Plus, there will be a great crowd of interesting people, invited by Cambridge talent spotters at select Free Houses, independent coffee shops and other fine businesses. There are, however, only 330 tickets, so get yours quick. The venue is split over two levels, with an ample terrace above and a good-size dance-cave below. More background: Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council provide Wintercomfort with 20% of its funding, and Jimmy’s with 45% of its funding. Both organisations depend for the majority of their running costs on other sources of income. Wintercomfort supplies dry clothing, sleeping bags, blankets, etc. from public donations. Wintercomfort’s cellar is presently full of such contributions and there is a need for increased storage space. Architects are planning and designing an extension to Wintercomfort’s property and your attendance at HSN1 and subsequent events will assist in funding this extension amongst other initiatives. Jimmy’s opened its doors in 1995 and has been providing beds and assistance to those in need ever since. Jimmy's also supplies dry clothing and bedding from donations. The organisation encourages people to stay for only 28 days while they receive a variety of help from their key-workers – help securing alternative accommodation, attending DWP meetings and doctors’ appointments, for example. Currently, in collaboration with Cambridge City Council and the Salvation Army, the SWEP initiative is encouraging anyone encountering rough sleepers during the cold snap to direct them to Jimmy’s. Jimmy’s has also implemented a Severe Weather Provision which is run by volunteers. Your attendance at the HSN events will support Jimmy's across a range of activities. Please note: The Heart of Saturday Night references a Tom Waits album of the same name. Our events are a homage to one of the world's great living musicians and an album that was in turn a homage to Jack Kerouac. However, nothing about HSN in Cambridge is meant to imply that Tom Waits is involved in or endorses our activities. We just like him and his music and want more people to buy and listen to more of it.