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Sleaford Mods billed charity gig raises over £11k for War Child
Lost & Grounded brewers and Friendly Records joined forces in a one-day charity event that raised over £11,000 for War Child, a charity supporting war-affected children.
The fundraiser gig that was held at the tap room of Lost & Grounded in St Anne’s back in May raised £11,967 in total bringing together beer, street food and live music.
The brewery floor was transformed into a music lounge, with headliners Sleaford Mods performing to a crowd of over 400 attendees.
This also marked Sleaford Mods’ only UK show for this year, adding extra significance to the event. The Nottingham-based post-punk duo was supported by Katy J Pearson, The 45s and Zalizo.
The Nottingham-based post-punk duo Sleaford Mods played their only UK show for 2025 at the Friendly Festival
With all artists and crew donating their time for free, proceeds from ticket and bar sales, a raffle and donations will go to War Child UK, helping to provide education, psychological support and safe spaces for children affected by conflicts.
War Child, which works to reach war-torn areas, operates in some 14 countries across the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia with the support of local partners. Its teams on the ground work in communities and refugee camps, providing a sense of normality through education, psychological support and safe spaces for play amid conflict.
Some 400 attendees were present at the charity gig raising vital funds for War Child
Organisers praised the collaboration and community spirit behind the event. Friendly Records, the North Street-based independent record store are no strangers to the project as they joined forces with IDLES in 2024 at a similar charity gig to raise funds for War Child at the O2 Academy.
Tom Friend, founder of Friendly Records, said: “It was an absolute privilege to put together the Friendly Festival alongside Alex, Annie and all the lovely folks at Lost and Grounded.
“It was a lot of hard work but seeing the event come together, watching people have such a good time and raising as much money for War Child as we did made it all worthwhile.
“A huge amount of thanks goes out to all the artists, crew and staff that gave their time for free and to all the lovely people who came and made the day so rewarding”
Bristol-based indie musician Katy J Pearson performing at the Friendly Festival
The organisers believe that the event showcased how music, community and compassion can come together to make a meaningful difference.
Annie Clements, co-founder at Lost and Grounded, said: “No child should be affected by war, but Friendly Festival shows that when like-minded people come together and share a day of music, beer and friendship, we can achieve something really special.”
Rich Clarke, head of music at War Child UK, said: “It’s been wonderful to see people come together with great music, beer, and food in such a meaningful way through Friendly Festival.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Lost and Grounded Brewers, Friendly Records, and everyone involved in making this happen – from the brewers and the teams behind the scenes to the brilliant artists and crew who gave their time and talent to make a difference, and of course to every single person who donated or turned up to support.”
Friendly Records had raised over £250,000 for charities in 2024 which included War Child
He reiterated the importance of the sustained support for the charity: “At a time when almost one in five children around the world are living in or fleeing from conflict, the money raised here will help War Child reach those who need it most with specialist psychological support, education programmes, shelter, and protection.
“Creativity and compassion are at the core of what we do and seeing that reflected back with events like this to raise money to support our work continues to be a source of hope for the future.”
Lost & Grounded brewery in St Anne’s hosted Friendly Festival to raise funds for War Child UK
Lost & Grounded is a member of the Bristol24/7 Better Business network, an initiative to help businesses thrive while creating a positive impact on Bristol and the people who live here. As part of their membership, businesses can publish member news stories like this. For more information, visit my.bristol247.com/better-business
All photos: Friendly Festival
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