Who should be our charity of the year 2014?

We have now begun our annual search for a charity of the year that will strike a chord at next year’s Worcester Music Festival, which will take place from August 29-31.

City and county-based good causes are urged to put themselves forward to benefit from money raised through donations, collections and a raffle, plus wristband and merchandising sales, over the weekend of live, original music in scores of venues across the city in 2014.

The closing date for applications is Monday, January 20^th with the committee making its final decision in February, festival charity co-ordinator Lisa-Marie Everall has confirmed.

“They might have just started up or have been established for a long time, they might help children or work to get vulnerable people back on their feet,” she said. “While there are no hard and fast rules as to what we are looking for, it will help if music plays or could play a role in what they do, but ultimately, the main thing is they strike a chord with festival-goers.”

Worcester Music Festival 2013 raised £5,462 for Worcester Deaf Children’s Society and Sight Concern Worcestershire. However, being one of our charities goes beyond the money raised.

Alison Hunt, chair of Worcester Deaf Children’s Society, which provides social and emotional support to families, said: “It had a profound effect, not only due to the amount raised, but also in terms of raised awareness of who we are and what we do,” she said.

“The children really enjoyed the song sign workshop we ran during the festival and we have already had three new families join us as a result. The passion and sheer hard work demonstrated by everyone connected to the festival to make it a success really humbled us.”

Keith Hoare, fundraising officer for Sight Concern Worcestershire, which helps blind and partially sighted people lead independent lives, said: “The long term benefits of being one of the charities are that it has raised awareness of our work and given us renewed impetus to do more to enable the people we work with to get involved in making or enjoying music.

“It was also great to be actively involved in the weekend and I would like to thank everyone involved with the festival for their support and encouragement.”

UPDATE: NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED