Family-run festival hosts Razorlight raising money for North Devon Hospice

Today and tomorrow (Sept 1 and 2), the Skinner family will be welcoming 3,000 visitors to their farm near Shebbear for two days of live music, while raising money for the North Devon Hospice.

This will be the festival’s eighth edition and will feature headliners Razorlight and Liberty X. Having started in 2015 with just 500 visitors, Sheb Fest has grown dramatically over the last eight years and has raised over £25,000 for the North Devon Hospice.

Sue Skinner, festival co-founder, said: “As a family we’re proud to be running a totally independent festival from our farm in North Devon. We’ve always tried to keep it as affordable as possible and it simply couldn’t happen without the volunteers that put in so much work to make it happen.”

The festival is held on the Skinner family’s working beef farm near Shebbear. David Skinner, festival co-founder, added: “The original idea for Sheb Fest came after a few drinks on a night out, so it’s amazing to see how far it has come.

“Although we originally had no experience organising an event on this scale, we’ve always loved live music. We wanted to create an event that showcased up-and-coming local bands, as well as household names, here on the farm. We’ve learnt so much over the years and still deal with all the organisation and bookings ourselves.”

The North Devon Hospice will again have a presence at this year’s festival and is a charity close to the Skinner family’s heart. Sue added: “We like to support the North Devon Hospice as we have lost friends over the years that have benefited from their support. They do an amazing job and hopefully we will be able to give them another big donation this year.”

Lisa Mackenzie, Event Manager at the North Devon Hospice and Sheb Fest’s official compere said: “We are thrilled that Sue, Dave and the team have again planned another incredible festival supporting the North Devon Hospice. The money raised helps to support the many patients in our care, and their families at a time when they need us the most.

“Our care not only happens at the Hospice, but also within the community and at our outreach centre in Holsworthy. The geographical area covered by The North Devon Hospice is the largest in the UK, and we are so proud that our teams are always on hand for support.”

“Thank you to not only the organisers and volunteers at Sheb Fest, but also to everyone that attends the festival, for ultimately supporting local families in need.”

2023 is set to be Sheb Fest’s biggest year yet, with 24 bands across two stages. David added: “Razorlight is the biggest band that we’ve ever managed to book. We also have a bigger main stage, more street vendors, fire dancers, stilt walkers and of course a lot of incredible live music.”

The festival is for all ages and features a children’s ‘fun zone’, professional fireworks display and glamping opportunities. It’s not too late to book your tickets via their website: www.shebfest.com/tickets.