Kendal Calling Festival (cap. 40,000), promoted by From the Fields, has announced a record-breaking fundraising total of £78,941 for local and national charities.

This year’s festival, held over four days in August at Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District, exceeded last year’s total of just over £55,000, thanks to the support of attendees.

The funds raised will benefit various causes, including Hospice At Home, Alder Hey Children’s Charity, Cry For Eden, Tim Burgess’s Help Us Help Bands, James’ Place, Penrith Lions, and several others. The festival’s commitment to charitable giving was evident through various donation channels, including merchandise sales, guest list donations, and on-site activations.

Tim Burgess’s Tim Peaks Diner, a festival staple, also played a significant role in fundraising efforts. The diner’s coffee and pizza sales contributed £21,000 to Help Us Help Bands, Burgess’s initiative aimed at supporting grassroots music.

The festival’s fundraising also supported various other charities and local projects, including Guide Dogs UK, RSPB, suicide prevention charity James’ Place, and the North West Air Ambulance Charity. Local community projects across Cumbria, such as Askham’s outdoor swimming pool, Hackthorpe Tennis Courts, and View from the River, also received support.

Kendal Calling co-founder Andy Smith said, “We are overjoyed to continue supporting so many amazing initiatives and charities across the North. Thanks to everyone who attended and made the weekend unforgettable, blowing past last year’s fundraising total in the process. There is a lot of love in these fields. We appreciate each and every one of you, and we can’t wait to celebrate our 20th anniversary with you back in the fields.”

This year’s edition of Kendal Calling, which took place from 1-4 August, featured performances from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Streets, Paolo Nutini and Keane.

The event concluded with 98.9% of tents taken home by attendees, up from 98% in 2023, thanks to From the Field’s ‘Leave Nothing But Memories’ campaign aimed at reducing waste.

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