Just because there is no TT this year doesn’t mean that one of the island’s popular charity fundraising events isn’t going to take place.

The Manx Charity Aid music marathon will go on all day at the Manor Hotel in Willaston on Sunday, May 30.

Beginning at midday, Bands and musicians will perform for 12 hours, raising money for charity.

Groups affiliated with the Soundcheck youth music project start the day, followed by solo acts, such as Steve Nash, Heikki and Marcela, Aaron Harwood and Nicki Naden and groups including Clown Calls for War, Bruises, Spaghetti and the Hoops and Sunset Jet.

The Iron Maiden tribute act Island Maiden will bring the day to a thunderous close.

The Manx Charity Aid day takes place on what would usually be the opening weekend of the TT fortnight and, for many, it became the unofficial start to the festivities.

It has been forced to switch locations after their regular home, the Bushy’s beer tent stage, will not be taking place this year, for obvious reasons.

’Janet Maynard, the landlady from the Manor Hotel in Willaston, very kindly got in touch,’ said organiser Andrea Gale, who has put the day together along with fellow organisers Ian Bradley, Sandra Herbert and Jenni Smith.

’She was interested in having a live music charity event and she wondered if we would want to host the MCA day there.

’We hadn’t been able to do anything for a couple of years so we thought why not?’

The Manx Charity Aid day has taken place each year since 2006 and, despite unfortunately missing out last year, has raised in excess of £100,000 for local charities over the years.

The weekend’s event will raise money for Soundcheck and for the mental health charity REACH IOM.

’The event has generated a lot of really positive vibes and people seem to be really happy that it is going on,’ said Andrea.

’Obviously it is not happening on the same scale as previous Manx Charity Aid days, but it is great to be able to keep the event going and to keep the charities fresh in people’s minds.

’It is also a wonderful opportunity to help the charities this year, whether for organisers like ourselves, the bands who are playing or the fans coming along and supporting the event.

’Part of me thinks that we have done our bit now and let others host charity events, but there are so many charities that have been helped by MCA and there are so many people still in need of help that we want to keep it going.’

A full running order will be posted on the event’s Facebook page the day prior to the event taking place.

Entry will be via a minimum donation of £2, payable on the door.