DHP Family’s Beat The Streets saw huge crowds gather to enjoy a full day of live music on Sunday, with tens of thousands of pounds expected to be added to the fundraising total for Framework from this year’s event.
The live music company’s charitable music festival Beat The Streets was launched in 2018 and has raised more than £409,000 to date for Framework over the previous five editions as well as shining a spotlight on the homelessness crisis. The charity works to turn around the lives of rough sleepers in the East Midlands providing housing, health, employment support, and care services to people with a diverse range of needs.
Every venue was packed out on Sunday 28 January to enjoy a full day of live music showcasing more than 50 homegrown artists along with special guest Beans on Toast. The talent on display blew away audiences at Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Bodega and Rough Trade with all proceeds from tickets, bar and merch going directly to Framework.
MPs and Nottingham City councillors were in attendance to experience the festival firsthand, and meet with George Akins, MD, DHP Family and Andrew Redfern, CEO, Framework, to hear about the success of the partnership, and the urgent need for more to be done to tackle the homelessness crisis.
Lilian Greenwood, Labour MP for Nottingham South and Shadow Minister for Arts, Heritage and Civil Society, said: “Every day in our city we see people living on the streets and we know that for every rough sleeper, there are many more people sofa surfing or families living in temporary accommodation, with nowhere to call home.
“It was a privilege to join thousands of people at Rock City and other venues around the city centre as part of Beat the Streets on Sunday – enjoying fantastic music and raising much-needed funds for Framework’s life-changing services to end homelessness.
“DHP already make a huge contribution to our city’s cultural life and Beat The Streets is a great example of a successful business using its resources to support the local community.”
Cllr Steve Battlemuch, Wollaton West Labour Cllr, Exec member for Skills, Growth, Economic Development & Property, said: “Another brilliant day raising much needed funds for Framework and their work on homelessness. Beat the Streets has become an annual event not to be missed and a credit to the efforts of DHP for making it happen.
“It’s such a tragedy that we need to raise funds for this vital work but so grateful to the Nottingham public that they support it so well. Let’s all commit to a renewed campaign for the right to decent affordable housing for all.
The funds raised by Beat The Streets have gone towards keeping Sneinton Hermitage shelter open all year round; accommodating more than 60 high risk service users; employing two full time mental health workers and helping to open Mechanics House, which provides accommodation and resettlement support.
The £89,500 raised at the 2023 event was used to fund the build of a block of eight purpose-built flats in Forest Fields, due to be ready to welcome the first residents this Spring.
Framework’s Chief Executive Andrew Redfern said: “Beat the Streets gives so much pleasure to so many people and makes a tangible difference to the lives of so many more.
“Following the success of the sixth edition of the festival last Sunday I’d like to pay tribute to everyone who makes this wonderful event what it is year after year.
“The continued enthusiasm and commitment of George Akins and his brilliant team at DHP Family is an inspiration. They highlight a very serious issue and do something about it – raising substantial sums that enable support for homeless people in Nottingham that would not otherwise happen. It is wonderful that they keep doing it.
“Thank you to the hundreds of wonderful musicians who so generously give of their time and talent, and to the ever-enthusiastic Beat the Streets audience. Together they make this a very special, as well as a very worthwhile, occasion.”
George Akins, MD, DHP Family, said: “Thank you to everyone who came out and got involved to make Beat The Streets 2024 a success. We’re very proud to support Framework’s vital work and looking forward to totalling up the donations and seeing what we’ve raised at this year’s event.”
The fundraising total will be announced in the next few weeks.
