Stone Roses legend Mani and wife Imelda on their sold-out Manchester cancer fundraiser

A Manchester music legend and his wife are putting on a major fund-raising event in Manchester to support efforts to beat cancer across the city-region.

Stone Roses bassist Mani and his wife Imelda are organising a night of music and fun to support two health-related causes in Greater Manchester.

This is a personal quest for the couple as Imelda was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2020 and is currently searching for treatments and options in her ongoing fight against the disease.

Mani and Imelda are promising a big night of fund-raising with plenty of memorabilia donated by famous Manchester faces up for grabs, although tickets have now sold out.

What is the cancer fund-raiser Mani and Imelda are putting on?

Mani, whose full name is Gary Mounfield, and Imelda are putting on their fund-raiser at The Kimpton Clocktower Hotel Ballroom in Manchester on Friday 18 November.

All proceeds from the event at the Oxford Street venue will go to The Christie, Manchester’s specialist cancer hospital, and The Stockport NHS Charity, two causes close to Imelda and Mani’s hearts.

Mani and Imelda are collecting donations from bands, footballers, actors, venues and promoters which will be available to win on the night.

There will be a raffle as well as a special online auction with prizes such as Noel Gallagher‘s own 6 x platinum presentation disc for What’s the Story Morning Glory, a holiday to The Maldives, a signed guitar from the Foo Fighters and a pair of David Beckham’s signed boots.

Other auction prizes include a 1966 immaculate Vespa 125 scooter, signed gold discs from both Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr, a hand-painted John Squire guitar, a Stone Roses gold disc and a seven-night stay at a French country estate.

How do I get tickets and when is the auction?

Tickets for the event have now sold out. However, anyone still wanting to contribute to the fund-raising can take part in the auction, which will start on Friday 18 November, the night of the event, and run until the start of December.

Why is the fund-raiser taking place?

Imelda was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in November 2020 and it spread to her liver and a small nodule in her lung.

She had emergency life-saving bowel surgery as it had perforated and six months later the right side of her liver was also removed in the operating theatre.

Towards the end of her chemotherapy sessions Imelda then had a scan which revealed another tumour in her liver and several nodules on her lungs.

She has vowed to keep pursuing different solutions to beat her cancer for the sake of her family.

She said: “I’m looking at other treatment centres and treatments privately as I’m nowhere near giving up this fight. Think positive thoughts into the universe for me to beat this.

“I’ve got twin boys aged nine who I’m fighting for, to be their mummy and to be there for many years to come.”

Imelda also described how the two causes she is fund-raising for have supported her.

She said: “Both charities have supported me through my journey. Cancer affects not just the person who has it, but everyone around them, and I hope that by investing in some more research, we can help alleviate some of the devastation caused to families.”

Mani, who will celebrate his birthday the week of the fund-raiser, spoke about supporting his wife through the difficult times of cancer treatment and the couple’s determination to emerge on the other side of the disease.

He said: “When life deals you a pair of twos, you must get your game face on. The past two years since my wife’s diagnosis have been brutal in so many ways, but it’s also opened our eyes to so many things.

“This disease needs to be eradicated - we feel duty bound to do our bit to achieve this. So everybody, get on board, dig deep, help out, we will win.”