Saxmundham Community Festival Receives Lottery Funding Boost

Saxmundham Community Festival, which is returning for 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to Covid, has received a £6k funding boost from The National Lottery Community Fund. The fund bestows grants to projects which provide invaluable enrichment for communities across the UK. Successfully obtaining the grant ensures the people of Saxmundham and surrounding areas can enjoy the festival itself, and also the longer-term impacts from its workshops and outreach efforts with local musicians.

The two-day festival attracts musicians and tribute artists from around the UK, as well as providing an opportunity for young musicians and performance groups to take to the stage, sometimes for the very first time. As well as this, Saxmundham Community Festival puts on a host of family-friendly activities and entertainment such as rides, games and an inflatables area. Visitors will also find an information zone, where they can find useful services such as Youth Employment, EDF, Suffolk New College, Inspire Suffolk, local healthy centres, and social prescribers, among other who can give advice, and offer signposting to support with health, wellbeing and opportunities. A chillout zone and community-run café will offer festival goers the chance to recharge and refuel, helping them to enjoy as much of the festival as possible. Festival organiser Terry Barrow explains, “The musical line-up is exciting, and a big draw for the crowds. But we also offer people new ways of engaging and forging relationships within the local community. People come along to meet up with their friends, find out about support and opportunities, as well as enjoying all the entertainment we’ve laid on for them.”

Saxmundham Community Festival attracts up to 2,500 visitors per day, all of whom enter the festival completely free of charge. In order to keep this community festival free for everyone, funding comes from donations and grants, rather than ticket prices.

Therefore, receiving £6k in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund has gone a long way towards safeguarding this valued community event. The grant will go towards the running costs of the event, including the programme of entertainment, site facilities and free workshops for children and adults.

Organiser Terry Barrow shares his delight; “It’s important for us, as a committee, to keep the event free. With the rising cost of everything, it’s lovely to offer a weekend of great fun for anyone that wants to come along – free of charge. The last two years have been tough on everyone which is why we fought so hard to bring back the Community Festival this year – we all need some fun with our friends and neighbours!”

Saxmundham Community Festival is on Friday 29th & Saturday 30th July.

To keep up to date with the line-up and related news, follow @saxmusicfest