Young musicians benefit from music festival support through Dransfield Foundation

 

Young people who have reaped the rewards of a successful music festival in a South Yorkshire steel town celebrated their progress at a reception and photoshoot on Friday March 6th.

 

The Valley Festival in Stocksbridge is preparing for its third big annual event in the summer to raise more funds to help young people foster their musical talent and to support local schools.

 

More than 500 performers took part in last year’s festival which attracted thousands of people to the Fox Valley shopping centre and Stocksbridge High School over two days.

 

The festival’s success meant that four promising young people received scholarship awards to further their musical development.  Money raised at the festival was boosted by a donation from the Dransfield Foundation - the charitable offshoot of Dransfield Properties, owner of Fox Valley shopping centre.   Five local schools also received grants.

 

 

The four young people who received grants are: 

 

Gao Roberts, aged 10, piano (Oughtibridge Primary)

Flynn Rodgers, aged 10, trumpet (Stocksbridge Juniors)

Grace Hanson, aged 13, singing (Stocksbridge High School)

Frances Holmes, aged 15, singing (Stocksbridge High School)

 

All four of these talented youngsters will be taking part in this summer’s festival in June which will be bigger and better with new events, including a Sheffield Music Academy concert, a Solo Singers Concert and a Battle of the Bands competition with the Big Festival Weekend taking place in Fox Valley on Saturday June 13th and Sunday June 14th hosted by much loved Sheffield performer Shaun Doane and other events at Stocksbridge High School.

 

Bradfield School was among the five local schools receiving grants. They bought a set of 40 ukuleles. And Deepcar St John C of E Junior School used their grant to visit the Royal Opera House in London recently to see the modern opera Alice’s Adventures in the Underground.