Former GBPA winner’s virtual music festival raises £13,000 for NHS

The winner of the Great British Pub Award for best live entertainment in 2017 regularly attracts revellers to its annual Quayfest event in their thousands but saw this year’s instalment scuppered by the Covid-19 outbreak.

However, in collaboration with the likes of tourism group Loving Weymouth & Portland and members of local band The Leggomen, general manager of Stonegate site Rendezvous & Royal Oak, Keith Treggiden, managed to showcase 20 musicians between 12noon and 12midnight on Sunday 12 April online in aid of the NHS. 

The event’s Facebook page stated: “The show WILL go on... Quayside Music Festival is one of Weymouth’s most popular events of the year, and we aren’t about to let this lockdown stop us partying.

“Streaming for 12 hours direct from Loving Weymouth & Portland, many of the area’s finest musicians will be coming together through the magic of technology to help you recreate that festival atmosphere from the comfort of your home as we raise money for our front-line NHS staff through the Dorset County Hospital charity.

“Stay safe, stay home, grab a drink and let’s show Covid-19 that it will NEVER take our Quayfest.”

Humbling experience

Those who tuned in to Virtual Quayfest, sponsored by a number of local businesses including local medical supplies company Medisave, were treated to 12 hours’ worth of live performances including The Voice​ 2018 finalist Lauren Bannon.

What’s more, having initially set a crowdfunding target of £10,000, Treggiden’s brainchild generated a grand total of £13,200 in viewer donations for Dorset County Hospital.

“I really think that kind of money can do so much to help our NHS – from PPE (personal protective equipment), to providing some hot meals, we want to show the amazing people at our local hospital that we are 100% behind them and will be forever grateful for what they have done for us throughout the coronavirus crisis,” he explained. “I am so touched by the generosity of everyone who tuned in to watch.

“It was really humbling experience putting on the Virtual Quayfest. Seeing everyone pull together to make it happen and to make it a success, was just incredible. It is a testament to the Quayside Festival and how much it means to our community that we managed to pull it off.”

Virtual Quayfest is just one example of how hospitality is harnessing live streaming to raise money for charitable causes. 

As reported by The Morning Advertiser,​ Greater Manchester’s night-time economy adviser Sacha Lord launched live-stream channel United We Stream in the first week of April to raise money for the city region’s night-time economy amid sector shutdown​ due to coronavirus.