The US heavy metal band Metallica has donated 25,000 euros to the Veikko and Lahja Hursti Charitable Trust, a charitable organisation in Finland that arranges food and events for the needy. The gift came as a complete surprise to Heikki Hursti, the head of the charity.
"We are still in shock. My daughter and I just met the band and we took a photo together," he says.
Ranked the third best heavy metal band in history by MTV, Metallica played two concerts in Helsinki at the Hartwall Arena on May 9 and 11, the last stop on the European leg of their WorldWired Tour.
The donation is part of the band's All Within My Hands Foundation, started in early 2017, which is dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting local services. The group has donated to charities such as food banks and children's helplines in every European city they have visited on tour.
A welcome donation out of the blue
Hursti said that when Metallica learned they would be playing in Finland, they started looking for a suitable organisation to support.
"They got our contact information somehow and told us they wanted to make a donation," Hursti said.
Hursti says he first learned about the band's plans two weeks ago.
"It totally came out of the blue," he said.
He says his trust will use the 25,000 euros to help support its everyday operations.
"We've got rental equipment, vehicle costs and a variety of other expenses for things that are necessary to our operations," he said.
Veikko and Lahja Hursti’s Charitable Trust is a Christian charity started in the 1960s by the Finnish social activist Veikko Hursti. Its work today is led by Veikko’s son Heikki and other members of the family. Among other things, the association provides food and clothing to families in need year round from its Helsinginkatu distribution point in the capital city.