Foden's Band is to offer financial support to the organisers of both the Saddleworth and Tameside Whit Friday contests.

It will come from the entry fees raised for the band's forthcoming 2021 online Whit Friday contest, which last year proved to be such a worldwide success. That innovative event — the first of its kind — saw 90 bands entertaining over 30,000 viewers.

Decision

Speaking to 4BR, Foden's Band Manager Mark Wilkinson said that the decision had been made to offer support following the news of the consecutive cancellations of 2020 and now 2021.

"The Whit Friday contests are iconic events in the banding calendar and the wider musical world, and we know that Covid-19 which has led to two years of inactivity have hit the venues very hard indeed.

Foden's has been fortunate to have been very successful at the contests over the years on both circuits, so it was the right thing to do to try and give something back."

Voluntary donations

He added: "Building on our success of 2020 we hope to attract well over 100 bands from all corners of the globe in 2021.

We are asking if each band would consider supporting the organisers on each circuit with a minimum donation of £5 per entry — with the option to donate as much or as little as bands feel capable at this difficult time."

Mark hoped that the spirit of banding and the ethos of the Whit Friday events will once again prove both popular musically and successful financially with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the organisations.

We are hoping that the voluntary donations can generate a significant amount to help preserve the future of the traditional Whit Friday contests for years to come in Saddleworth and TamesideFoden's Band

Preserve the future

He added: "We are hoping that the voluntary donations can generate a significant amount to help preserve the future of the traditional Whit Friday contests for years to come in Saddleworth and Tameside."

Further details will be revealed in the coming weeks with a special funding page set up on Friday 28th May that can also accommodate individual donations.