Ten charities from across the North-West will benefit from this year’s Lytham Festival.

The region’s largest music festival returns bigger than ever before this summer with 10 nights of live music on Lytham Green. Ordinarily five charity partners are selected for the usual five nights but as Lytham Festival has been extended to 10 nights for 2022, 10 charities now get the benefit.

The full list of charities selected and the nights they will partner with are:

As well as nationally recognisable charities including Samaritans, RNLI, MS Society and Guide Dogs for the Blind, Lytham Festival is supporting smaller local charities including Doherty’s Destiny – a Cleveley’s based charity which was set up in memory of 16-year-old James Doherty who took his own life in 2016, St Annes-based Wesley’s Community Cafe and Larder which helps local people who need, food, assistance and company, and n-compass which works to help people regain control of their lives, providing hope and a sense of purpose, through the provision of carers, advocacy, wellbeing, counselling and volunteering services.

The charities were chosen following an application process and those that have been selected will be given the opportunity to have a team of fundraisers on site at Lytham Festival collecting monetary donations.

Festival director Peter Taylor said: “We receive a lot of applications from charities and we wish we could support them all but unfortunately that just isn’t possible. We are very proud to partner with a charity each night and we hope all the charities selected for this year’s Lytham Festival will benefit not only from monetary donations, but use it as a great opportunity to raise their profile to tens of thousands of people.

“Past festivals have shown us that on average, the charities can expect to collect between £10,000 – £15,000 over the course of the five nights each year so hopefully we will see that doubled this year.”

The last Lytham Festival in 2019 saw five charities benefit from a total of £14,729.

Alan Glasgow, from Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Samaritans, said: “To be selected as a charity partner for the prestigious 2022 Lytham Festival presents us with a golden opportunity not just to fundraise but also to raise the public profile of the organisation.

“Over the years, Lytham Festival has grown in stature to what it is today, an event which not only benefits music lovers, but also local businesses and charities, long may continue.”

Joanne Hargreaves Doherty and Aimee King, founders of Doherty’s Destiny, added: “We are so humbled to be chosen as one of the charities for Lytham Festival this year. Having the opportunity to raise awareness of our small charity which works across the Fylde coast, as well as raising much needed funds, is amazing.

“Each and every penny raised will go back into our local community either through our school mental health projects or supporting those bereaved by suicide.”

Digby Moulden, chair of Lytham St Annes RNLI fundraising branch, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working once again as a charity partner at this year’s Lytham Festival. All the funds raised will go directly to the stations at Lytham and St Annes to help save lives at sea.”

Blackpool Trinity Hospice community fundraising manager, Michelle Lonican, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as the charity partner for Lytham Festival’s Duran Duran performance – many of our staff and volunteers are huge fans and are extremely excited to be part of this fabulous event.

“We are very much looking forward to meeting people from across the region and letting them know how they can support the very important work we do across the Fylde coast for all who need us.”

Sandra Wilson, Volunteer coordinator at Blackpool-based Disability First, said: “As a grass-roots charity supporting the local community, we are delighted to have been chosen as one of the charities for Lytham Festival.

“The festival has made headway with increasing accessibility for people with disabilities and health conditions and has always been open to new adjustments to making the festival experience an enjoyable one for everyone.”

Paul Caddy, head of Lytham’s Wesley’s Community Café and Larder, said: “This is the win-win of the year for us and we are delighted the volunteers from Wesley’s will be at Lytham Festival 2022.

“It gives us a fantastic opportunity to highlight the work of Wesley’s while also hopefully raising much needed funds.”

Guide Dogs for the Blind community fundraising relationships manager, Lynne Whittaker, said: “Partnership is at the heart of what we do and has been for 90 years, so it feels very special to be named a charity partner for the Lytham Festival.

“Our volunteers – and our dogs – can’t wait to welcome everyone.”

Kila Redfearn, head of charity at Blue Skies Hospitals Fund, added: “We feel so proud and privileged to have been chosen to be a charity partner with Lytham Festival 2022. 

“Where would we all have been without the support of the NHS over the last two years and we do hope that people come and have a chat with us on the night and be as generous as possible during these difficult times.”

Estelle Blackman, from Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre MS Group, said: “It is wonderful to be involved in Lytham Festival 2022. Although our charity works endlessly to bring awareness for local people affected by Multiple Sclerosis, it amazes us every time somebody tells us ‘We didn’t know you had a group locally’.  

“Being involved with Lytham Festival this year will bring so much awareness to local people living on the Fylde coast and hopefully will also raise a few pounds to help local people affected by Multiple Sclerosis.”

And Teresa Jennings CEO of n-compass said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be named as one of the charity partners for this year’s Festival. It is an opportunity for us to involve our volunteers in this annual extravaganza, while helping raise money for the unpaid carers and young people we support on the Fylde coast.

“This also forms part of our social value commitment in terms of playing our wider role in the community while giving something back.”

For more information go to lythamfestival.com