Shrewsbury’s free street music festival, The Big Busk, took place in April and raised more than £8,500 for the Shrewsbury Ark.
Karen Paterson, one of the event’s organisers, said, “We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who took part, whether performing, volunteering or simply watching and donating. This is an incredible total and will go a long way to improving the lives of the homeless and vulnerable people in Shropshire.”
All profits from the event go directly to the Shrewsbury Ark, which relies almost entirely on charitable donations to raise the £120,000 it needs to keep running. The festival is held in memory of talented musician, poet and artist Ben Bebbington, who was killed in 2012 in an unprovoked attack. It takes place on the weekend around Ben’s birthday. Organisers have revealed they are planning to take next year off and return bigger and better in 2019.
