SummerFest, a one-day family fun festival organised by Weymouth and Portland Round Table at Redlands Leisure & Community Park on June 3rd has raised over £23,000 for local causes in the area.
Members of the Round Table wanted to raise vital funds for the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance after one of their own, Grant Tewkesbury, suffered a serious brain injury and required an airlift to Southampton Hospital.
Following months of rehabilitation, Grant was able to attend Summerfest as a guest of honour.
Grant Tewkesbury with the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance at Summerfest
SummerFest was a huge success for the Round Table, welcoming thousands of visitors for a packed day of fun activities. There was much to see and do on the day, ranging from a climbing wall, inflatable theme park, Top Bins football tournament, hot air balloon rides, classic car displays, Combat Lab demonstrations and much, much more.
Entry was free with an optional donation. The bulk of the money raised came through the raffle draw, with prizes including a week-long stay in Majorca for a family of four, a two-night cruise to Guernsey, a jet ski tour for two, AFC Bournemouth signed shirt, and an Xbox.
The crowds at SummerFest
Live music from local talent played throughout the day including sets from Milk & Two, Under the Carousel, Blazin’ Strings, and Chief Lazarus, topped with a closing headline slot from Weymouth favourites The Leggomen. The festival finished with a spectacular firework display.
Delighted with the success of SummerFest, Chairman of Weymouth and Portland Round Table Adam Luckhurst, said:
“I want to thank everyone who supported SummerFest: from our many generous sponsors, to the many traders/exhibitors, the fantastic musical talent, and the thousands of generous visitors who donated to our fantastic causes.
“Special thanks must go to Active Dorset for not only allowing us to use Redlands’ fields but also for their unwavering support for the event.
“I’m pleased to announce that we raised an incredible £23,000! This means we’ll be presenting a cheque of £13,000 to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
“We’ll also be purchasing the two defibrillators we promised for Weymouth Harbour. The remaining funds will be in reserve to support other local causes for the rest of this year and into next.”
After the success of SummerFest 2023 and following a wealth of positive feedback from visitors, Adam is pleased to announce Summerfest will return in 2024.
Members of the Weymouth and Portland Round Table at SummerFest