ORGANISERS of a music festival in Oxford are hoping to raise thousands for the homeless.

Audioscope has raised £17,000 for Shelter since it started in 2001.

And organisers of this weekend’s event hope it will push the total above £20,000.

This year will also see the launch of an album of rare and unreleased songs by past and present guest bands, called Music for a Good Home.

Organiser Stuart Fowkes said he was looking forward to handing over a “big fat cheque” to Shelter.

The festival is being held at the Jericho Tavern, Walton Street, on Saturday, and runs from 2pm to midnight, but just 200 tickets are available.

Past bands include Rother, Moebius, Clinic and Four Tet, all of whom have submitted songs for the new album.

Mr Fowkes, who has performed at several previous festivals with his band Sunnyvale Noise Sub-Element, said: “We will only ever put on bands that both myself and co-organiser Simon Minter think are fascinating, groundbreaking, or that you are not going to see in Oxford every day of the week.

“What I want to see is a room full of people who are genuinely musically curious.

“There is a great deal of support for Shelter and when we went back to the bands to ask them to contribute to the album there was a ridiculous amount of goodwill for the charity.”

Shelter’s fundraising director Louise Parkes said: “We are extremely grateful for Audioscope’s support over the past nine years.

“Demand for our services has increased significantly as people struggle with mortgage arrears and the threat of repossession, so Audioscope’s support has never been more vital.”

This year’s bands are Maps, The Longcut, Remember Remember, Bronnt Industries Kapital, Talons, Ute, Theo, Cats & Cats & Cats, Bilge Pump and Bitches.

Maps band member James Chapman called on people to support the event.

He recorded a version of Bob Dylan’s Not Dark Yet for the album, which costs £10.

He said: “I was very flattered to be asked for my involvement. Shelter do fantastic work and to be a part of that is a great feeling.”

Tickets cost £12 and can be bought in advance from wegottickets.com or on the door, if still available.