PERFORMERS united by their desire to end homelessness collaborated to create a 48-hour EP with the proceeds being pumped back into Colchester.

Six-piece collective Monster Florence - featuring Colchester rapper Alex Osiris and producer and bass player Tom Donovan - embarked on a musical mission with London dubstep group Foreign Beggars.

FortyEight was recorded at Tom Donovan’s studio, in Rowhedge, including designing the CD’s artwork, and featured special music guests from across the country who wrote, recorded and mastered the entire project in two days.

Copies will be sold at an upcoming event on May 27, hosted by charity Musicians Against Homelessness.

Danny Hiles, 31, launched the charity last year and has since donated hundreds of pounds to Colchester Night Shelter as well as clothes and personal hygiene items.

Using music as a vehicle to bolster funds for homeless support networks has so far been successful and Danny is hoping to raise another £350.

Gazette:

Danny Hiles (centre) with friends Sam Fraser and Jay Montgomery who worked on the first charity album

He said: “Half of the musicians hadn’t met each other before going to the studio but it was an excuse to jam for two days.

“Dream McClean, who’s part of Monster Florence, has a song out with Professor Green and meeting Foreign Beggars was a big deal for me because they’re big in the UK hip-hop scene and I’ve always listened to them.”

“The way music manages to draw people together is special. A lot of people recognise homelessness, musicians especially because they’re not the richest of people, they do it for the love of music and understand it can so easily happen to anyone.”

The confirmed line-up in May includes Clacton garage-rock band Surge, vocalist Ady Johnson, The Cannons and Matt Calderbank.

It will be held at Three Wise Monkeys, from 7pm. Entry costs £3.

Danny added: “We’re trying to help the Night Shelter expand because there’s an ever-increasing number of homeless people coming to Colchester from other towns and cities, but also help existing charities here.

“An event like mine gives people who want to help the issue but don’t want to give out money in the street, an opportunity to help.“

“Unfortunately, there are some people on the streets who aren’t genuinely homeless but I’ve been speaking Will Quince and the council is trying to tackle this at the moment.

“On the night we’ll also be accepting clothes and non-perishable food donations.”

Visit the Musicians Against Homelessness Facebook page for more information.