I can’t believe I’m actually saying these words. I’m launching a Crowdfunder!
For those who know me, will know that I last did one in 2016 to literally kickstart my Vintage Weekend events. Organising a three night residential do with a full line up of entertainment for hundreds of people was a big project in 2016 and I needed to raise eight thousand pounds to cover some of the bare minimum costs. After a twenty eight day campaign – and lots of plugging and promotion – I was successful but I swore I’d never do it again. I would tell anyone who would listen that it’s one of the hardest things I’d ever undertaken and it requires nerves of steel. So here I am, one global pandemic and a career on the bottom of the ocean later, doing it again! Why? Because even though I thought it was the hardest business related challenge I’d ever done to date, I can now say in honesty, that four years later, with three Weekenders under my belt, that the cancellation of my sold out 2020 Weekender has definitely been the hardest pill to swallow to date. The years of work – not to mention financial investment – I’ve put in, was literally swept from under my feet on June 15th 2020 when Mill Rythe Holiday Village told me the venue wasn't reopening this year due to the effects of Covid 19 on their business. This type of venue - catered holiday accommodation - simply cannot reopen safely with the new social distancing and large gathering restrictions in place. The news broke me.
So a few weeks on and I'm having to pull myself together and spring back into recovery mode. I've done it many times before but not on this scale. In a lot of ways I feel like i'm starting over , but with one big difference - a huge amount of people all on my side. These are my crowd and these are the people who keep me doing what I do (when I can!)
I am launching a Crowdfunder on 25th July to raise money so that I can buy new PA equipment that allows social distancing (i'll be going back to my roots and hitting the nursiing homes as soon as I'm allowed, but I want a portable, no plug in PA so I can reduce any form of contact, thus reducing risk of bringing in any nasties), renewing all my insurances/starting memberships to helpful unions and gathering funds to help me pay off some of the losses caused by Covid 19, not only in my own earning ability as a singer but the expenses of my Weekender.
I really hope you'll be able to support me in my quest for recovery