Graham Mack band raises £15k for charity

BBC Radio Wiltshire presenter Graham Mack has helped raise more than £15,000 over the last year after forming a band on the air.

The former BRMB and TFM host, who now does the Swindon breakfast show for the BBC, is joined in the group by the Chief Executive of the local council.

The band started when Graham interviewed Gavin Jones from Swindon Borough Council live on his show one morning last April. During his research, Graham discovered that Gavin was a rock guitarist, so at the end of the interview Graham produced an electric guitar, plugged it into a Marshall amp and said to Mr Jones, “Lets see how good you are!” Gavin didn’t shy away and his playing, live on the air, impressed Graham enough for them to get together and form a band. The idea was they’d only play gigs for charity and have fun at the same time.

Gavin brought in two old musician friends of his, Damian Pinguey on drums and Tim Collier on bass. Now the four piece regularly play classic rock songs including tunes by Cream, Free & Lynyrd Skynyrd.

In 12 months, gigs have raised £15,164 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, Goldenhar Syndrome, Lights for Learning, Swindon Carers, Prospect Hospice, Willows Counselling Service, CALM – Swindon Children’s Cancer & Leukaemia Movement and many others.

The Graham Mack Rock Band’s first anniversary gig is an outdoor concert in Swindon Town centre on the 21st of April 2012. They’ll be raising money for the Mayor’s Charities; The Open Door Centre, The Rowdy Bunch and Football in the Community.