Record breaking fundraising hits the right note for Hope House

Hope House Children’s Hospice has received more than £15,000 from this year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival, taking the tally raised since the two organisations began their charity partnership in 2008 to more than £128,500.

Festival organisers make a donation to Hope House for every adult weekend ticket that is sold for the four-day event at the DMOS People West Mid Showground. Hope House volunteers also hold a bucket collection on the Sunday afternoon with generous festivalgoers this year handing over more than £3,350.

Visitors donated more than £1,000 in return for charging mobile phones and electrical devices and using an overnight chair crèche and Hope House runs a retail stall in the craft village, which reaped more than £8,200.

The funding supports music therapy sessions that can be an important tool for helping children communicate and have fun.

Festival Director Sandra Surtees said: “This is a staggering amount to have raised and we cannot thank our festivalgoers enough for their overwhelming generosity. Our event is based on the joy of music so it’s wonderful to be able to bring that to the children at Hope House through funding music therapy.

“This year was our best ever festival and this incredible fundraising total has underlines that. Every year we hope to better what we did the year before and long may our successful partnership continue.”

Hope House Area Fundraiser Harriet Richards said: “We are always blown away by the generosity of both the festival organisers and the festival goers, but this year was even more outstanding.

“Every penny raised will help seriously ill local children to enjoy the gift of music during their respite short breaks at Hope House. Thank you so much to everyone involved for this priceless on-going support that will bring so much joy to so many children.”

Day and weekend tickets for the 2026 festival, which will take place from August 28th to 31st are on sale now at shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk.