Metallica donate $20,000 to Auckland Women’s Centre

Auckland Women's Centre manager Maia Hall is "thrilled" with Metallica's donation. Photo / Auckland Women's Centre

A local intersectional feminist organisation was “thrilled” to receive a donation from Metallica before the band’s sold-out show at Auckland’s Eden Park last night.

Band representatives reached out to the Auckland Women’s Centre a few weeks ago and offered to make a donation through Metallica’s charity organisation, the All Within My Hands Foundation.

The email with the offer claimed to be genuine, but centre manager Maia Hall struggled to believe it was not a scam.

But the band’s management reassured her the heavy metal group makes donations in every city where they perform.

“We are thrilled with the support – and with Metallica demonstrating people from all walks of life can support grassroots feminist care and advocacy,” Hall said.

“The Auckland Women’s Centre mission of empowering wāhine and women with care, community kōrero and voice aligns with the band’s gifting priorities.”

As the centre is not funded by the Government, the $20,000 donation will be valuable and cover about two weeks of the centre’s operating costs.

Hall said Kiwis could help support women and gender-diverse communities themselves by contributing to the Centre’s “Fabulous 500 Feminists” programme.

“We’d love people to follow the lead of Metallica – rock legends and feminist allies!”

Metallica also donated to Meet the Need, a charity targeting food insecurity that was founded and run in partnership with local farmers.