A CD launched in tribute to the co-founder of Shrewsbury Folk Festival has raised more than £4,000 for a charity set up in his name to support young and emerging musicians.
The profits from Resound, a 15-track recording featuring tracks from artists including Oysterband, Jon Boden, Grace Petrie and Karine Polwart, will be ploughed into the Alan Surtees Trust.
The Trust, which has been formed by musician and clog dancer Hannah James, aims to open applications for its first grants next Spring. Trustees involved in the charity include Alan’s wife Sandra, with whom he co-founded the festival in 1997.
Hannah came up with the idea for the trust following Alan’s death from cancer in June.
She said: “As someone who has benefitted from the generosity of Shrewsbury Folk Festival, I want to take the baton and keep some of this support and momentum going. It seems like a very fitting way to serve Alan’s memory.
“The tracks on this album are all from artists who have had strong links with the festival and some are songs which we know were favourites of Alan’s. I hope it captures some of the spirit of the festival and the passion that Alan had for this music.”
More than 500 CDs were snapped up in exchange for donations at this year’s festival and it is now available to buy online at Fish Records.
A fundraising gig is being planned for February 2018 to raise additional funds with the first round of applications for grants opening in March. Further fundraising will be organised in future years to support the charity’s ongoing activities.
She added: “We are really looking forward to being able to support a new generation of musicians and back some exciting musical projects.
“Alan would be delighted that his memory is being served in this way and we hope the trust will be able to make a real difference to the musicians it supports in the coming years.”
For more information about the trust and the CD: www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk/more/alan-surtees-trust/
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