Kendal Calling Festival-Goers Raise Record £111,000 For Charity
Kendal Calling festival-goers have helped raise a record six-figure sum for charities, taking this year's total above £111,000.
The festival, held at Lowther Deer Park near Penrith, generated £111,748.97 for charitable causes, marking the first time the event has collected more than £100,000 in a single year. The fundraising total represents a significant milestone for an event that has continued to support community organisations and charitable projects since its launch in 2006.
Across its history, Kendal Calling has now raised more than £400,000 for charity. The money has been generated through several fundraising activities connected with the festival, including direct donations, merchandise sales and activities taking place across the site during the event.
A range of organisations benefited from this year's fundraising, with money directed towards causes covering disability support, emergency medical services, children's welfare, animal rescue, mountain rescue and environmental work. The breadth of beneficiaries reflects the festival's continuing involvement with charities and community initiatives in Cumbria and elsewhere in the North.
One of the largest individual amounts went to Annie Mawson's Sunbeams Music Trust, which received more than £13,000. The charity raised £13,063.91 through its involvement with the festival, with the money intended to support disabled and disadvantaged children and adults across Cumbria.
The fundraising was welcomed by Sunbeams project fundraiser Jules Blundell, who thanked the festival team for giving the organisation an opportunity to take part. She said the response from festival-goers had been overwhelming and that the money raised would make a practical difference to people facing challenges across the county.
The Great North Air Ambulance Service also benefited from the event, collecting £6,500 after attending Kendal Calling for the first time. The organisation is based only six miles from the festival site, making its involvement an opportunity both to raise funds and to increase awareness of the emergency medical service it provides across the North.
Other charities and organisations receiving support included Hospice at Home, Alder Hey Children's Charity, Eden Animal Rescue, North West Air Ambulance, Penrith Mountain Rescue and Greenpeace. Their inclusion means the fundraising will contribute to a broad range of work, from healthcare and rescue services to animal welfare, children's support and environmental causes.
The festival's Tim Peaks Diner also played a part in the fundraising effort, collecting £11,000 to support grassroots music acts. The pop-up coffee shop has therefore contributed to the wider cultural impact of the event, with its fundraising directed towards musicians and the development of grassroots music rather than solely traditional charitable services.
The latest fundraising figure adds to a longer record of charitable giving associated with the festival. Organisers said the event has raised more than £400,000 since it began, underlining the scale of the contribution generated through the annual gathering at Lowther Deer Park.
Kendal Calling co-founder Ben Robinson described supporting charities and initiatives across the North and beyond as a privilege. He also thanked everyone who attended the festival for helping achieve what he described as an important fundraising milestone following another weekend of music and entertainment.
The fundraising total was achieved through contributions made during the festival itself, with donations, merchandise purchases and on-site activities all helping to increase the amount available for charitable causes. This approach has allowed attendees to contribute in different ways while taking part in the wider festival experience.
The announcement also comes as preparations continue for next year's festival, with tickets for the 2027 event already on sale. The next Kendal Calling is scheduled to run from July 29 to August 1, and organisers say more than 60 per cent of tickets have already been sold.
The continued ticket demand and latest fundraising result underline the scale of the annual event at Lowther Deer Park. Alongside its entertainment programme, the festival has developed a substantial charitable contribution, with money raised supporting organisations working with people, communities, animals, emergency services and environmental causes.
For the charities involved, the latest fundraising provides additional resources for their ongoing work, while the festival's growing total demonstrates the contribution that large community events can make beyond their primary entertainment purpose. This year's £111,748.97 represents the largest annual amount raised since Kendal Calling began in 2006.
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