One of Worcestershire’s most popular music festivals is returning to the county this summer.
Woo Fest – which raises money exclusively for St Richard’s Hospice – will be held on Saturday 7 July at The Drum and Monkey near Upton-upon-Severn and is suitable for all ages.
This will be the festival’s fourth year; last year it introduced a second stage which allowed continuous music throughout the event. Such was its success with festival goers last year, it will be back again this year.
The event – which is organised by Luke Simons – from Northwick – his sister Ria Simons and a committee of family and friends – was set up in memory of Luke and Ria’s father John Simons, a local engineer, who was cared for by the hospice before he died in 2013, aged 66 years.
Luke Simons explained : “St Richard’s Hospice is a place that remains very much at the heart of our family. Our Dad spent his last few days there in 2013 and the care he received was nothing short of amazing. But there is more to St Richard’s than just care, all the staff made sure that his dignity wasn’t compromised. Although we knew he was going to die, there was something uplifting being with him in such a special place. This is why Woo Fest exists and continues to go from strength to strength.
“It’s unique in that 100 per cent of every ticket sold goes straight to the hospice, thanks to generous sponsorship and the continued support of talented musicians and local companies.”
The family friendly event will include a children’s play area, arts and crafts, children’s activities, competitions and a hog roast. The Drum and Monkey will supply refreshments.
The Drum and Monkey, a picturesque pub, is set in a beautiful field with spectacular views of the Malvern Hills. The festival itself offers facilities including on site camping, also available the night before the festival.
This year, the festival is hoping to attract up to 500 people and beat its fundraising total from last year of more than £10,000..
Luke concluded : “Woo Fest really does have something for everyone, from acoustic to rock covers to blues and modern hits.”
The event will be supported again by the Battle of Britain Memorial flight team with a Dakota performing a flypast.
Rachel Jones, Fundraising Manager at St Richard’s Hospice said : “We would like to thank the organisers of Woo Fest for their dedicated support and continued generosity. The funds raised are absolutely essential in ensuring that we can continue to provide care for local families. This year’s festival looks set to be its best yet and we wish them all the best for a fun and successful day!”
To find out more about the event follow Woo Fest on Facebook or call 07789 998839. Book tickets here
The organisers would like to thank the event’s main sponsors, Spirit Executive, Diamond Windows and Roberts & Egan estate agents as well as all other local businesses who support the event.
St Richard’s Hospice provides free specialist palliative and end of life care for patients living with life-limiting illnesses and supports their loved ones. Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,300 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.
The hospice strives to provide the best medical, practical, emotional and social support they can to help people live life to the fullest, as independently as they can, for as long as they can. They care for people with a range of illnesses including heart failure, Parkinson’s, and motor neurone disease as well as cancer.
St Richard’s is an independent charity and relies on donations for three quarters of its annual £8.8m income with the remainder from the NHS.
St Richard’s has launched the Build 2020 Appeal which aims to raise the final £1.4m needed to build a bigger hospice, enabling more patients and families to be cared for in Worcestershire. The total cost for expanding and redeveloping the existing building in Wildwood Drive, Worcester, is £5.3m.
Photo caption : The organisers behind the popular Woo Fest, l to r, Alexis Greenwood, Chris Hayward, Jo Simons, Luke Simons, Harry Salisbury, Dawn Hayward, Ria Simons (photo credit Richard Purvis)