Joe GallopThe Tramlines Trust, the charitable arm of Sheffield’s 40,000-capacity Superstruct Entertainment-owned Tramlines Festival, has fundraised £57,600 for 27 local organisations following the 2023 event.
More than 50% of the grants went directly to Hillsborough-based initiatives where the festival is staged, including £5,000 to Hillsborough Together to help fund the Hillsborough Town Centre Christmas Lights event.
Since 2018, this now brings the total donations of Tramlines Festival to £213,000 with a £3.7m boost to the local economy in 2023 alone, according to an independent report by Sheffield City Council.
Tramlines operations director Timm Cleasby said, “To see the full range of projects supported by the Trust and how they’re benefitting and using the funding is just wonderful. Our city is full of many people with powerful ideas and projects that create positive changes to communities, young people, artists and musicians. It’s a privilege to support their activities.”
Since 2018 Tramlines has also donated 650 tickets to a variety of charities including Tickets for Good providing event tickets to NHS staff, charity workers and those affected by the cost of living crisis.
Tickets have also been distributed to Sheffield Young Carers, allowing the young people they support attendance to the festival. Sarah Gerrard, fundraising manager at the charity said, “Sixty percent of the young people we support in Sheffield come from 20% of the most deprived areas and we know that this kind of treat would be out of reach for many of the families. Tramlines has become something that the Sheffield Young Carers are able to look forward to within their time of support with us. Tramlines provides a place for our carers to be free of their caring responsibilities and enjoy the ‘normal’ things that many of their peers do.”
Beneficiaries of the 2023 Tramlines Trust include the Hillsborough Hornet’s Disability FC, RivelinCo, Adira, Bright Iris CIC, Peaks of Colour and Odd Child Productions.
The Tramlines Trust raised money across the year via ticket donations and at the festival with a charity collaboration beer brewed by Brewdog named, guest list donations, bar donations, charity merch, Lidl’s ‘Bubbles & Bangers’, Nulty’s backstage bar (named in honour of festival director Sarah Nulty) and a charity raffle hosted after the event.