Music festival will celebrate 10 years of fundraising


A music festival in Hutton Rudby is raising money for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) in its 10th consecutive year. The annual CornShed festival has raised almost £200,000 since it was founded and it returns for its 28th fundraising year next weekend– as it celebrates a decade of supporting GNAAS. Judy Kitching, who was awarded an MBE last year for her services to charity, will host the event. She said: “It’s been 28 years now, and things get better every year.

A music festival in Hutton Rudby is raising money for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) in its 10th consecutive year.

The annual CornShed festival has raised almost £200,000 since it was founded and it returns for its 28th fundraising year next weekend– as it celebrates a decade of supporting GNAAS.

Judy Kitching, who was awarded an MBE last year for her services to charity, will host the event.

She said: “It’s been 28 years now, and things get better every year. I’m excited that this time of year has come back round again.

“I have a fantastic team that come together from all over the UK to turn the farm into a music venue, we couldn’t do it without the help of so many.”

Mrs Kitching founded the festival in 1986 in memory of her husband, Jim, who died after an accident at their farm when he was only 38.

In those 28 years, the festival has evolved into a packed two-day event, at Sexhow Park Farm near Hutton Rudby.

CornShed has raised funds for a host of charities over the years, with the ITU at Middlesbrough General Hospital, Hutton Rudby village hall and local primary schools all benefitting in the past.

It has now been raising money solely for GNAAS for 10 years.

Mrs Kitching along with daughters Martha and Annie, will host the two-day festival on Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21.

Mandy Drake, deputy director at GNAAS, said: “Judy is such a brilliant supporter of the charity and she puts an incredible amount of work into making every festival a huge success. She dedicates much praise to her army of volunteers who give up their time and expertise to make the event everything it has to offer.”

The CornShed sees a host of bands playing mainstream rock, blues and folk – and for the first time this year, a dedicated acoustic tent.

Among the acts that will play on Friday are: Last Anthem, Soul Street, Desilva and Dr Brown and the Groove Cats.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, bands include: The Mothers, The Rhythym Co., The Southmartins, Princes of Monte Carlo and Steal Strings.

Mrs Kitching, a former French teacher at Hustler School, in Middlesbrough, continued: “We love to support northern bands and musicians and this year is no different.”

Tickets are still available for the festival and cost £25 per night, with all profits will going towards the life-saving charity. Real ale and food is also on offer. They can be bought online from www.thecornshed.co.uk

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