A summer-long festival of music has helped to raise thousands of pounds for local mental health charities.
More than £2,300 was collected during a series of free concerts held over July and August, organised by the Deep South Festival and held on the Colas Beach Stage on Port Erin Beach, opposite the Bay Hotel. They featured local groups, such as the Voodoo Bandits, Birds and the Beards, The Ballaghs, Dusty Plankton and many more.
The money was split between four different island-based mental health charities, with REACH IOM, Isle Listen, the Ballamona Association for Mental Health and Praxis Care each receiving £500 and further donations made towards Bridge the Gap and Quing.
The series of concerts was sponsored by Bushy’s Brewery and organised by Chris Carr from the Deep South Festival, to take the place of the proposed series of concerts featuring UK artists, which has had to be postponed.
’Because of Covid 19, We had to rethink our plans,’ said Chris.
’Martin at Bushy’s knew we had our mental health and well-being campaign planned for 2020 and offered us the stage on Port Erin beach for nine weekends. As always we try to accommodate all genres of music and I think we did in the end.’
by Mike Wade
Twitter:@iomnewspapers