Shrewsbury Folk Festival helps raise £7,000 for Hope House children's hospice

Hope House, which supports children with life-limiting illnesses and their families, received more than £7,000 from this year’s four-day event, including a donation of more than £2,000 from festival organisers.

The money will be used to fund music therapy sessions at the hospice.

More than £63,000 has been raised in the partnership between the festival and Hope House since they established it 10 years ago.

This year the Hope House stall at the festival raised more than £2,500 and the annual collection at two of the main stages resulted in around £1,750. Money was also raised through the charging of mobile phone and other electrical devices as well as other collecting tins around the festival site.

Festival director Sandra Surtees said she was delighted with the ongoing support Hope House received from the festival visitors.

“We make a donation for every adult weekend ticket that is sold but it is down to our amazing supporters who every year continue to give a very public show of support for the work the hospice does. This year they have surpassed themselves.

“The festival is based around the pleasure music brings us so it’s only right that we are doing our bit to ensure that children using Hope House can benefit in the same way.”

Vanessa Thomas, the Major Gifts manager for Hope House, said: “We are so thrilled to continue our partnership with the festival. It is such an incredible event that we are never short of volunteers to come along and man our stall or shake our collection buckets.

“The record breaking amount raised will pay for months of music therapy sessions at the hospice, helping some very special children with life threatening conditions to find fun and happiness through making music.”

The 2019 festival will be held at the West Midland Showground in Berwick Road from August 23 to 26. The first headliners will be revealed on December 1 when tickets go on sale at shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk