DEVELOPER LENDS A HAND AS STAFFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL SET TO ROCK IT OUT OF THE PARK

Residents in Lichfield can expect a weekend of fun as leading developer Barratt Homes lends a hand in supporting the running costs of Lichfield Art’s event of the summer.

Fuse is a family festival that showcases live music, dance, magic, storytelling and more to the local community, and has been free of charge since its conception in 2001.

Run by the independent charity Lichfield Arts, Fuse takes place every year, but like many festivals, suffered a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic. Situated at Beacon Park close to the housebuilder’s Fradley Manor development, Fuse is set to celebrate its 20th birthday, and will use the donation from Barratt to assist with running costs.

Phil Beale, Vice Chair of Lichfield Arts and a Senior Fuse Team Member, said: “We keep Fuse free to ensure cost is not a barrier to entry for people in the community. This means we are heavily reliant on fundraising to cover our costs. We are therefore very grateful to Barratt Homes for their donation towards Fuse’s running costs”.

After starting out as a small gathering, Fuse is now one of the largest free community events of its time, attracting over 18,000 visitors across the three day weekend in 2019.

The festival is set to come back with a bang after one year off, with a number of musical acts set to take the stage throughout the weekend. Friday will see the reggae and funk influenced sounds of The Social Ignition, while Saturday showcases bhangra’s best rock fusion machine that is Kissmet. The weekend will be closed with a showstopping performance from Fred Zeppelin, giving visitors a chance to rock out before returning to work on Monday.

Adrian Evans, Managing Director of Barratt Homes West Midlands, said: “After a year of uncertainty, we are delighted to see that Lichfield Arts’ Fuse Festival is set to open its gates again this summer.

“As the UK’s leading housebuilder, it is important for us to connect with the local communities in which we build, and we are more than happy to support Fuse’s 20th birthday celebrations with our donation.

“During times such as these, we are encouraging others to support charities and organisations in their communities as much as they can.”