Nottingham music festival won a national title for their work supporting the homelessness crisis in the East Midlands.
Beat The Streets has been recognised for raising over £320,000 for Framework Housing Association.
The National Award for Making the Most Positive Community Impact is a new category introduced to the UK Festival Awards this year, the winners were announced at Manchester’s Escape to Freight Island on December 6.
Framework’s Chief Executive, Andrew Redfern, said: “From the outset Beat the Streets has been a hugely popular focus for those in and around Nottingham who are raising awareness of homelessness and encouraging the public to contribute towards tackling it.”
The festival’s bar takings, merchandise and ticket sale proceeds go directly to the charity with the majority of day staff donating their wages.
Mr Redfern, said: “We must also acknowledge the contributions by hundreds of bands, solo artists, technicians, stewards and administrators who have so generously given their time and talent.
“Without them Beat the Streets, and this nomination, would not have been possible.”
This year the festival raised £76,000 for the charity that went towards accommodation, resettlement work and specialist support with many benefiting from interventions responding to individual needs.
Beat The Streets spokesman, Joseph Patten, said: “We’re always delighted with how much we raise through Beat The Streets and the £320k we’ve been able to donate so far has gone towards some really wonderful initiatives such as increasing capacity at temporary shelters when the weather is at its worst, opening a permanent shelter all year round, hiring two full time mental health practitioners and helping toward the refurb of a new accommodation which can help resettle 16 service users.”
The opening of permanent accommodation, Sneinton Hermitage, accommodated more than 60 high risk service users.
Framework Housing Association opened in 2001, supporting over 18,000 individuals every year.
Mr Patten said: “We make sure we have as much information about Framework and what they do on our platforms and around the festival all day, including posters, fundraising buckets and video case studies that are played in front of the crowds in Rock City between each act.”
He added: “We have had some amazing support from the likes of Ferocious Dog, Sleaford Mods, Jake Bugg, Harleighblu, Do Nothing, Evil Scarecrow, Saint Raymond – having vocal support from local legends like those does give your event an amount of hype.
“I think as much as the big names are important it’s also really important to make sure the line-up is balanced and varied enough for everyone, we don’t promote ourselves as a particular genre or sound other than a great day out.”
The festival recently announced the exciting news that Line of Duty actress Vicky McClure and director Shane Meadows will reunite for the festival, the pair will be in conversation at Rescue Rooms supporting the event.
Minimum donation prices of £10 goes towards improving the lives of vulnerable people with over 15,000 tickets sold since the multi-venue festival began in 2018 in response to the homelessness crisis.
The next festival fundraiser is taking place on January 29 at venues including Rock City, The Bodega and Rescue Rooms.
Buy tickets for Beat The Streets here
Image Credits: Jake Haseldine