As part of The Brick’s Love Wins Week of Action (4–10 October), a powerful new anthem, ‘Song for the Brick’, will premiere at The Brick Community Stadium, home of Wigan Warriors, bringing together voices from across the borough to mark World Homelessness Day on 10th October.
Backed by Wigan Warriors, the premiere will be a landmark moment for the campaign, celebrating compassion and community in the very heart of the town.
The project was born when local musician Alan Gregory was approached by Keely Dalfen, CEO of The Brick. Alan recalls how the idea struck a deep chord: “I became more acutely aware of the number of homeless people in Wigan, and how people generally reacted to them; looking away, rushing past as if they weren’t really there.
“I had to admit I’d been guilty of that myself. Then I thought about my own life. After my wife’s tragic death, had it not been for my sister-in-law taking me in, that might have been me. That realisation shaped the song.”
Alan hopes the song will help people reflect on homelessness with fresh eyes: “It’s a heartfelt expression of how society treats people who are homeless, and what that says about us. If the song makes people kinder in their approach and interaction, then it has done its job.”
🎤 Who’s Involved:
👧 20 children from Marsh Green Primary School Year 5 Choir
🎶 21 members of Wigan Community Choir
🎓 Students from Wigan & Leigh College
🧡 Representatives from The Brick, Sunshine House, Daffodils Dreams, WYZ, and Wigan Athletic Support Engagement Management Group
🎤 20 volunteer amateur singers (recruited online), including some community engagement officers from Wigan Council (attending independently, not officially representing the council)
💡 Why It Matters:
This project brings together Wiganers – young and old, from every part of the borough, across all walks of life – to send a powerful message:
👉 Wigan cares about homelessness.
Following its premiere at The Brick Community Stadium during Love Wins Week, the team hopes to record Song for the Brick professionally, with proceeds going directly to support The Brick’s work with people facing homelessness.
Keely Dalfen, CEO of The Brick, said: “Song for the Brick embodies what Love Wins is all about; restoring dignity and belonging where people feel forgotten. With the support of Wigan Warriors and the voices of our community behind us, this song is a powerful reminder that no one is invisible, and no one is left behind.”
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