Kendal Calling donates thousands to local charities
Kendal Calling have ear marked thousands of pounds to be donated to a selection of key local charities to give back to the community that has provided them with so much! Through the success of the EBay charity auction, guestlist donations, onsite sunflower selling and Kendal Mint cake world record Kendal Calling 2011 raised a solid amount of money solely to put back into the community. On top of the charity donations, Kendal Calling are keeping things close to home once again by reaching out to the local community to get involved with the festival through a variety of challenging and essential volunteer and work experience positions.
Since starting its charity work 2 years ago Kendal Calling has donated over £20,000 to local charities and community projects. This year the funds were raised through a of variety schemes, including Hospice at Home selling sunflowers at the festival gates, an EBay charity auction of signed guitars from festival stars, the Guinness World Record for largest Kendal Mint Cake and a guestlist donation asking everyone from A-list celebs to friends of the bands to put their hands in their pockets and give generously - every penny of which goes directly to the charities involved. All of these combined raised a total of over a whopping £8,000 in 2011!
This year’s chosen charities include, Penrith Lions, North West Air Ambulance, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Hospice at Home, Kendal & Penrith Mountain Rescue and a variety of community projects in local communities. The guitar auction money will go to Cancer Research, Sue Ryder North West, NSPCC, Tiger Awareness and the WWF. The majority of the money raised by Kendal Calling goes directly back in to the community where the results are immediate.
Zoe Casson - Community Fundraiser for Cumbria and North Lancashire (North West Air Ambulance) said: “The charity relies solely on donations of this kind to keep us operational and save lives. Last year we made more than 1,000 callouts and about 300 of them were made in Cumbria and North Lancashire so I can guarantee that this donation will help somebody in the local community.”
"A huge thank you to all of those who donated money at the 2011 Kendal Calling event in aid of Guide Dogs. The money raised will help to create daily amazing journeys for someone who is blind or partially sighted. Every donation we receive helps us to keep our lifetime promise to provide every guide dog owner with a guide dog for as long as they need one. They also help us campaign for the rights of people with a visual impairment, educate the public about eye care and fund eye disease research. Thank you so much for your support, it is truly appreciated!" Sorrell Coulson (Guide Dogs, Sports and Challenge Events Co-ordinator).
“It’s great to be able to support the local community and charities to give something back. We’d like to say a huge thank you to all those who got involved and donated their time and money to help raise money for these valuable causes. We particularly loved the vibrant scene of all the Sunflowers being worn across the festival site in aid of Hospice at home.” Ben Robinson, co-founder and co-director of Kendal Calling
As well as donating to vital local charities and community projects, Kendal Calling like to maintain a close working relationship with its region and would like to reach out to locals to get involved with the festival through volunteering and work experience positions. Not only is it a great opportunity to work within an award winning team and have a whole lot of fun, but it can also provide valuable experience and skills. To find out more and fill in a volunteer form simply go to the ‘Get Involved’ section of the website: http://www.kendalcalling.co.
The Christmas sale tickets sold out in record time and festival tickets will go on general sale in early 2012. To keep up to date with all things Kendal Calling, make sure you sign up to the festival newsletter at www.kendalcalling.com and become a fan on Facebook.
