Orange Goblin singer raises £66,000 for Metal Hammer and Classic Rock journalists after redundancies

A heavy metal singer has raised thousands of pounds for more than 70 music journalists who were made redundant the week before Christmas.

Forty-six Team Rock staff in London and 27 in Scotland were told on Monday that they had lost their jobs and would not be paid in December after the collapse of the firm, which owned magazines such as Classic Rock and Metal Hammer.

When he heard the news Ben Ward, frontman for London-based heavy metal and hard rock band Orange Goblin, set up a JustGiving page “to give something back to these people who have helped our scene so much”.

Since he opened the page on Monday donations have reached more than £66,000, three times his target of £20,000.

Mr Ward, who lives in Leytonstone, said: “It’s incredible. My phone hasn’t stopped buzzing all day from donation notifications.

“When I heard the news that Team Rock staff had all been laid off so near Christmas and wouldn’t get paid this month I wanted to do something.

“The magazines and radio stations under the company umbrella have been massive supporters of my band and friends’ bands and done a lot for the underground and rock scene.

“Everything raised will go to the staff at Team Rock — I really hope we can get to £73,000 so there will be £1,000 for each staff member.”

Administrators at FRP Advisory are selling off Team Rock and assets.

An FRP Advisory spokesman said staff had been paid until the end of last month, adding: “We have provided the information to employees to make claims to the Insolvency Service for arrears of pay, payment in lieu of notice of redundancy and holiday pay.”