LeeStock Music Festival

The LeeStock Music Festival (originally known as LeeFest) is an annual music festival, held in Long Melford, Suffolk, England, since 2006 in memory of a local man, Lee Dunford, who died the same year.[1] The festival raises money for the Willow Foundation, a national charity that gives special days to seriously ill young adults. The festival is part of a number of events that aim to raise the profile of the Willow Foundation and raise money for them including a pub crawl,[2] a football match,[3] and a Twenty20 cricket match. Prior to the 2012 festival, LeeStock has raised £25,000 for the Willow Foundation.[4]

In 2011, LeeStock was held over the weekend of 28 and 29 May and featured indie band Dodgy and The Bluetones lead-singer Mark Morriss as the headline acts along with acts from all over the UK.[5][6] It was held at the White Horse public house in Sudbury.[6]

LeeStock 2012 was moved to the larger capacity home ground of A.F.C. Sudbury, King's Marsh, after selling out in 2011.[7] It was headlined by Mark Morriss, Nigel Clark of Dodgy, D:Ream and Wheatus.[7] The acoustic stage was headlined by Nick Howard[8] who went on to win that year's The Voice of Germany.[9]

In 2013 the festival moved again, to the stately home and National Trust property Melford Hall,[10] in Long Melford. The festival was headlined by Toploader and Space.[11] By early 2014, the festival had raised almost £50,000 for the Willow Foundation and that year's event, held again at Melford Hall, was headlined by the Lightning Seeds and an acoustic set by Terrorvision.[12]

References

  1. ^ Cawley, Laurence (4 May 2009). "Festival staged in memory of musician". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  2. ^ "LeeStock Olympic-themed fundraiser". Suffolk Free Press. 5 April 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Special Days Tribute Funds Guide" (PDF). Willow Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  4. ^ "LeeStock Music Festival". Willow Foundation. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  5. ^ Dobbie, Anna (20 May 2011). "Dodgy and Bluetones singer Mark Morriss at LeeStock". BBC News. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Festival gets second big act". Suffolk Free Press. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  7. ^ a b "First names announced for LeeStock charity event". eFestivals. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  8. ^ "LeeStock Music Festival". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Nick Howard is inspired by the German fans". Berliner Morgenpost. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  10. ^ "Venue Move Bid". Suffolk Free Press. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  11. ^ "LeeStock Headliners Announced". festivalsforall.com. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  12. ^ "First names announced for LeeStock charity event". efestivals.co.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2014.