Swindon Festival prevails for fourth consecutive year having raised over £40,000 for Prospect Hospice

The team behind popular all-day music extravaganza, My Dad’s Bigger Than Your Dad Festival, can now reveal that nearly £11,500 was raised for Prospect Hospice following last Summer’s event, bringing the total raised since the festival’s inception to well over £40,000…..

MDBTYD 2024, organised in association with the South Swindon Parish Council, was held at Old Town Bowl on Saturday 20th July 2024 with around 1,000 people joining in the festivities. Devizine sent our Ian along, and this was what he said about it.

This was the fourth year of the increasingly popular local festival, which was organised to raise much needed funds for Prospect Hospice in tribute to Dave Young, the former landlord of The Victoria and 12 Bar, who died in early June 2021 at the Hospice after a hard-fought battle against cancer.

Prospect Hospice, based in Wroughton, provides invaluable care for people across the region and has to raise in excess of 70% of its costs through fundraising through the local community. In 2023 alone Prospect Hospice provided free care for over 2,000 patients. With costs continuing to rise and more people than ever needing their care, fundraising is critical to continue this vital service – they have sadly lost 50% of their capacity for inpatient care due to underfunding within the last two years.

“Prospect Hospice is an organisation that does incredible work, delivering palliative and end of life care to those who need it; work that is only going to become more important in the future. Everything that the hospice does is driven by the people in our community, which I find to be truly inspirational.” – Jeremy Lune, CEO.

The story of local music promoter Dave Young and the support he and his family received from the hospice is reflected in this event through its energy, varied line up of predominantly local bands and array of family friendly entertainment throughout the day, all supported by local sponsors and an army of volunteers. The event is a true community collaboration, much like the hospice itself.

Anna Sprawson, Dave’s widow & event co-organiser has said “Without the support of Prospect Hospice, what was a terrible time for Dave and us, his family was made somewhat more bearable – I could call on Dave’s Prospect nurse, Tina at any time for support & guidance and she remains a close family friend to this day. Hospices are often simply thought of as places where someone goes to die, however it is so much more than that – it allows the family to spend the remaining moments with their loved ones, allowing me to be Dave’s wife again and not only his carer.”

My Dad’s Bigger Than Your Dad Festival 2024, which had the support of Future Planning as its headline sponsor for the third year running, took place over two stages with 16 acts performing on the Old Town Bandstand acoustic stage as well as the main stage at the Old Town Bowl. Sanjay from Future Planning said “Everyone we work with and speak to knows about the Prospect Hospice and the incredible work they undertake, touching so many lives, it’s a privilege to be able to help such a worthy cause. Each time we interact with someone from Prospect, they are always friendly and helpful. We are always happy to support in any way possible and hope the Prospect Hospice can continue doing their amazing work for many years to come.”.

Other sponsors of MDBTYD Festival 2024 included Holmes Music, The Tuppenny, Lewis Farrant Floor Layer, Funky Corner Radio. Some of the best acts of the local music scene came together to support the event – SN Dubstation, Gaz Brookfield and The Company of Thieves, The Chaos Brothers (one of Dave’s bands) and many more.

Part of the fee paid to South Swindon Parish Council to use the venue has been put aside to help raise money for the continued upkeep of the Old Town Bowl, an eye-catching 1930’s art deco amphitheatre.

After a well-earned break, the organisers of the festival are now planning for MDBTYD 2025, with the date set for Saturday 26th July 2025. For further updates, follow My Dad’s Bigger Than Your Dad Festival on social media. Facebook. Insta. 

Discounted early bird tickets for this year’s event are already on sale via their website – HERE – get them while they’re still hot!

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