Nottingham's charity music festival Beat the Streets has won a top award. It scooped a national UK Festival Awards title for making the greatest community impact.
Since launching in 2018, the festival has donated £320,000 to Framework, a charity working to support rough sleepers. Beat the Streets received the Sarah Nulty Community Impact Award at a ceremony this month for its vital work to support the homeless in Nottingham.
Beat the Streets is organised by DHP Family, whose managing director George Akins said: “I’m really proud of what we have accomplished so far. Going into this winter, what Beat the Streets provides is needed more than ever and we hope to build on this success to enable us to help Framework support rough sleepers for as long as we can.”
Read more: Nottingham music festival Beat the Street to return to city centre
Beat the Street's fundraising has enabled Framework to carry out vital work including taking on mental health workers to support rough sleepers with complex needs, enabling its emergency winter shelter to stay open all year round and helping to open Mechanics House, which provides accommodation and resettlement support. Framework chief executive Andrew Redfern said: "We could not be more delighted to hear the news that DHP Family's brilliant Beat the Streets festival won the Sarah Nulty Community Impact Award at the UK Festival Awards ceremony. This is a tribute to everyone at DHP Family who has been involved in creating and developing this event since 2018.
"Even with stiff competition from five other nominees there was reason to believe that Beat the Streets would be a strong contender. The award recognises 'excellence in community outreach and support' and 'festivals that work to actively raise funds or provide opportunities' for their communities.
"Since its launch Beat the Streets has always fulfilled these criteria in spades – raising hundreds of thousands of pounds towards accommodation, specialist support and resettlement work for rough sleepers in and around Nottingham. This in turn has motivated other partners, including local businesses, to join the effort – thus further enhancing the scope and effectiveness of responses to homelessness and rough sleeping."
He added: "Hundreds of very vulnerable people have benefited from interventions that respond to their individual needs. Framework sends its warmest congratulations to our friends at DHP Family, with thanks to them and the hundreds of bands, solo artists, technicians, stewards and administrators who have so generously given their time and talent over the past five years.
"Without them Beat the Streets, and this wonderful recognition for its achievements, would not have been possible. The festival is a hugely popular focus for those who are raising awareness of homelessness and encouraging the public to contribute towards tackling it. We look forward to sharing the excitement of Beat the Streets again on January 29, 2023, and to joining the celebration of this very well-deserved accolade."
DHP Family director of live Anton Lockwood, who was with the team at the ceremony to receive the award, said: “I'm delighted that Beat the Streets has won the Sarah Nulty Community Impact Award at the UK Festival Awards.
"To have the recognition for the event is fantastic, and we believe winning this will help us get great artists, sell more tickets and help the homeless in Nottingham even more. Massive thanks to all the incredible DHP Family team, especially to the wonderful people at Framework who do such awesome work with the money we raise."
Legendary Nottingham folk-punk band Ferocious Dog will headline next year’s Beat the Streets. The band members are long-time supporters of the festival, having performed at the inaugural event in 2018. They are known for their support of homeless charities, regularly encouraging fans to bring foodbank donations to their shows up and down the country.
Beat the Streets booker Joseph Patten said: “‘It’s so great to be recognised in what is a very competitive area. I want to thank all the artists that donate their time and talent as well as the staff, crew, and DHP staff who work tirelessly in the run up. I can't wait to make next year's event even better than before and raise some much-needed funds for Framework.”
As well as donating all the ticket income and bar spend, more funds are raised through the sale of specially-created merchandise and a tombola, as well as encouraging donations to a food bank on the day. Tickets priced from £10 minimum donation are on sale now here.
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