Organisers of a new Nantwich food and drink event say they will support two much-needed Cheshire charities as plans for their summer crowd-puller gather pace.
The new Dorfold Food and Drink Festival is taking place July 23-24 in the grounds of Dorfold Park.
Its organisers say it will help raise funds for mental health charity Mind and Nantwich Food Bank.
Since being founded in Leeds six years ago the festival series, which includes dates in Manchester, Ilkley and Harrogate, has raised more than £45,000 for local Mind branches.
Money will be raised through ticket donations and car-park collections.
It will support Cheshire’s local Mind branch which runs a charity shop in Winsford and drop in centre on the town’s Dene Drive for people who are currently experiencing mental health problems.
Festival founder Michael Johnston said: “The pandemic has shone the spotlight on the need to support mental health as much as physical health.
“Our festival-goers have been happy to help us support this under-funded area of the NHS by making donations as they book their tickets.
“We also give free stand space to charity volunteers to raise profile and collect at each event.
“Face painting and raffles for Mind have become a familiar sight over the years and we hope the same for Nantwich.
“With the cost of living now at crisis point for millions of families, we also plan to do what we can to ease things in our event areas by becoming food bank collection points, beginning in Nantwich.
“Nantwich is a lovely town fairly affluent on the face of it but we understand every town has pockets of deprivation and we are making ourselves a donation hub for Nantwich Food Bank over festival weekend.
“We hope many people will come along with their food donations and we will make sure they go swiftly to the charity that does such good work in Nantwich and surrounds.”
Mid Cheshire Mind general manager Carol Halpin said: “We have been supporting more people than usual in our main locality of Winsford, Northwich and Middlewich but have also extended our services to Nantwich, Crewe and as far as Macclesfield to ensure that people get help before they reach crisis point.
“Mental health services are now more stretched than ever, and this is expected to increase even further over the next three to five years.
“This is why The Dorfold Food and Drink Festival is so important – please go along, take the family and definitely have fun!
“But also know that by supporting the festival you are supporting people with mental health problems and that is something to be proud of.”
The festival includes live music with artists such as rock and country band Broken Flowers, Zimbabwean-Irish singer songwriter Pearl Natasha, and slidebox guitarist Howlin’ Matt.
There will be international street food and an artisan market of more than 60 independent traders and businesses.
It also includes interactive street performances, live cookery demonstrations from professional chefs and children’s activities.
Information and discounted festival tickets available now from the website here
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