Give Big and help Kendal's Mintfest (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Give Big and help Kendal's Mintfest

4:57pm Wednesday 30th November 2011 in Cumbria news By Scott Kirk, Reporter

AN appeal to raise vital funds for next year’s Mintfest is about to begin.

Organisers have set a £20,000 target from next week’s Big Give Christmas Challenge to raise enough money for the popular festival to go ahead next year.

The money will be match-funded by the Reed Foundation, a national charity and other sources, meaning a potential £40,000 pot is up for grabs.

Funding is needed to plug a hole left after the closure of the North West Regional Development Agency, which previously provided the cash to stage the £80,000-a-year event.

So far, £4,800 has been raised through bucket collections at this year’s event, but an extra £15,200 is still needed.

“Although Mintfest is really popular, public sector funding cuts have meant next year’s daytime street festival is under serious threat,” said Julie Tait from Lakes Alive, which runs Mintfest.

“This means we urgently need to raise money for the festival. We also want to protect it for future years.

“We are really hoping that everyone who enjoyed our events this year will donate something through the Big Give.”

The Big Give was set up in October 2007 by Sir Alec Reed CBE, who was looking for an easy way for charities to raise money and for donors to find the type of charity they wanted to support.

Since its creation, it has raised £20 million.

Leo Houlding, the famous rock climber and adventurer, who lives in Staveley, is a big supporter of Lakes Alive.

“Mintfest is a fantastic event,” said Mr Houlding. “The acts are brilliant and the atmosphere in Kendal during the street festival is amazing – it really brings everyone together.

“It would be a real shame if cuts meant it couldn’t continue.”

To make a donation go to the website below.