Charity festival honouring Swindon music legend David Young raised more than £12,600

A music festival honouring the life of a key figure in the Swindon music scene raised £12,633 for Prospect Hospice.

The My Dad's Bigger Than Your Dad Festival in late August was held in tribute to David Young, the former landlord of The Victoria and 12 Bar, who died in early June at Prospect Hospice after a hard-fought battle against cancer.

The 10-hour festival was sponsored, supported and co-organised by Swindon Link.

The money raised was handed over in a ceremony at the Wroughton hospice attended by David's widow, Anna Sprawson, festival co-organiser Ed Dyer and hospice personnel.

Anna Sprawson said: "My Dad's Bigger Than Your Dad Festival was beyond all of my expectations, and the fact that so much needed money was raised for Prospect really was the cherry on the cake.

"It was quite overwhelming that so many people gave up their time and volunteered to make this event the huge success it was.

"The whole day was just perfect. There was a fantastic family feel to it.

"I will always be indebted to Prospect and especially our CNS nurse Tina for the support given to David, myself and the family. We really can’t thank her and them enough."

Prospect head of Income Sheryl Crouch said: "After such a difficult income generation year, this means even more than it usually would. We can't run our service without the community's support, and right now that support is even more crucial than normal.

"This fantastic event, in memory of Dave, so locally known and loved - all those things stacking up together to raise this amazing amount of money is simply wonderful. We are thrilled to be the beneficiary and also honoured to have been able to care for Dave and Anna and the family at a point when they needed us."  

Festival co-organiser Ed Dyer said: "We were totally blown away by the response to this new event. The amount of money raised has stunned us and we cannot be more grateful for the support from the public and our amazing suppliers and sponsors, which showed both how respected and admired Dave was, and how in need of this people were. 

"We were honoured to be asked to be involved in organising and running the event, which was a huge team effort. The services and facilities that Prospect provide do so much to help those in their darkest moments, so to see the end result of the event be such a large sum going to such a fantastic local cause is very humbling."

The festival also raised £1,403 toward the restoration of the Town Gardens Bowl, and Mr Dyer said: "We were also very pleased to be able to support the work that South Swindon Parish Council are doing to maintain the Town Gardens Bowl as a venue space for the local community, and as always with The Swindon Shuffle, to highlight and support the brilliance of the local musical community."