The Hope Festival by Rhubarb Farm & Elastic FM
On Saturday, 21st September 2024, the historic Pleasley Pit Colliery came alive with the sounds of music and the spirit of recovery as it hosted "The Hope Festival."
Jointly organised by Rhubarb Farm and Elastic FM, the festival was the brainchild of Ben Sofield from Rhubarb Farm/Rhubarb Recovery, who collaborated with David Lilley of Elastic FM/Your Choices Matter to bring the event to life.
Originally envisioned as a "sober" music festival, the event evolved into a diverse mix of entertainment, featuring powerful testimonials from individuals in recovery. The festival, held during National Recovery Month, aimed to celebrate recovery, challenge stigmas surrounding addiction, and demonstrate that fun can be had without alcohol and drugs.
Event Highlights:
- Speeches: The festival featured moving speeches from notable speakers such as Sue Kurr, Jackie Carpenter, Ben Sofield, and Turrum Mellor, who shared their personal journeys with addiction and recovery. Each speaker was honoured with a holiday to Sutton Hall Resort, a certificate, and a glass trophy.
- Music Performances: The event showcased a variety of musical acts, including Liv Ibell, The SkinTones, Jamie Woodcock and Lee Garforth, Kill The Shru, and Calming Storm. Each performance added a unique flavour to the festival, from jazz and reggae to rock and acoustic renditions.
- Food and Drink: Attendees enjoyed a range of food and drink options, including woodfired pizzas from The Elm Tree at Elmton, tea and coffee from the Café at Pleasley, and alcohol-free mocktails from the "Rhu-Bar," sponsored by Three Spirit Drinks and Welbeck Abbey Brewery.
Impact and Attendance: The Hope Festival attracted 247 attendees, garnered 20,000 online impressions, and maintained a consistent presence of 70-80 people throughout the day. The event drew a diverse crowd, including individuals in recovery, families, and members of the public, all coming together to celebrate and support the recovery community.
Feedback: Attendees praised the festival for its choice of venue, variety of entertainment, and the positive atmosphere. Here are some of the quotes from attendees and participants:
- “The Hope Festival - A Day of celebration and inspiration of sharing strength and courage in moving forward together.” - Julie (Attendee)
- “A great festival that’s given the recovery community a platform to enjoy the festival experience without being surrounded by temptation.” - Jamie Woodcock (Musician)
- "A truly amazing day! Emotional, uplifting and achieving its title by giving hope! I laughed, smiled and cried and sometimes all at the same time! I feel very proud and privileged to have been part of the first ever Hope Festival.” - Janet (Attendee)
- “I’ve spoken to all the guys, and we all agreed the day was outstanding. Really good food and drink offerings, the bands/artists were awesome!! We enjoyed meeting new faces who were very friendly and welcoming. It was an honour to be a part of this momentous occasion and all involved should be extremely proud of what was achieved. To all the folks battling addictions, you put on a stellar day. Hopefully this is the start of something really positive and that people will look forward to in the future.” - Kill The Shru (Artist)
Final Words from Ben Sofield: "The Hope Festival was born from feelings of hopelessness. As a young man in recovery, I felt lonely and isolated. Being sober in your 20s is boring – no festivals, no nights out with your mates, and no gigs. As a music lover, this killed me. But it doesn’t have to be this way. That’s where the idea began – frustration, boredom, and wanting to get back to the person I was before drink took over my life. I wanted to bring hope to people in recovery and show that you can live not just a normal life, but a better life."
Ben expressed his gratitude to David Lilley for his support and expertise, which were instrumental in making the festival a reality. He also thanked his partner, Ellie, Rhubarb Farm, and everyone who contributed to the success of the event.
The Hope Festival proved that Recovery can be celebrated with joy and that recovery is possible. It was a day of inspiration, connection, and, most importantly, hope.
If you are someone in Recovery and are interested in getting involved, you can find out more about Rhubarb Farm and Elastic FM, here: Recovery Projects | Growing Recovery In Derbyshire
