It is fair to say that the Glastonbury Festival is one of the most famous music events in the world, having been staged at the farm of Michael Eavis since 1970. The name is so well-known that people use it as the basis for the title of their own events, which is the case with Guildford’s ‘Gosdenberry’.
It is a musical entertainment day that sees local bands from Surrey performing in order to raise money for Gosden House School and other charities. The School is a venue for people with learning and additional needs, where people from the Rotary Club have helped to clean up for years.
Music in the Walled Garden
Gosden House School has a walled garden, which members of the Rotary Club have worked together on in order to make it as welcoming as possible. On the 26th of August 2024, the location held its first event, where the Mayor of Guildford at the time, Sallie Barker, opened things up before Uke Rythmics, a ukulele-based band with an excellent pun name, as well as Men in Sheds took to the stage to perform. It was a warm and sunny day, making more than £1,000 for distribution amongst several charities chosen by the Rotary Club thanks to ticket sales and donations.
The 2025 version of the same event is looking to push things slightly further when it takes place on the 25th of August 2025. It once again looks to put music at the forefront of what’s going on, seeing both local performers and bands from slightly further afield in Surrey taking to the stage in order to perform. Not only that, but people who fancy having a go for themselves are able to get up and sing a song or do some other form of performing during the open mic part of the event. All of it is in aid of raising money for charities, which include Gosden House School itself.
Plenty Going On
It is an afternoon that is filled with things going on for people to get involved in, if they wish to. As well as the musical interludes, which will be the main focus of the day, there is also the chance to take part in a raffle. This is done in aid of the charity chosen by the Mayor of Guildford, which this year is The Cheryl King Trust. That is a charity that is designed in order to allow ‘all young people to make music’. If you buy your ticket for the event before the 25th of August then you will find that your adult ticket includes a cream tea, which you will have to pay for if you buy your ticket on the day.
There is a bar on-site, from which you will be able to buy both soft drinks and also Pimms. It is run by the School Parents’ Association. If you’d like to take advantage of the calm and peaceful nature of the walled garden, you can take along chairs or a rug in order to relax and unwind. Sadly, only guide or other assistance dogs are allowed to enter the area during the hours of the event. It is scheduled to start at 2pm, lasting for four hours and then coming to a close at about 6pm. Obviously, everyone concerned is hoping for good weather, given the outdoor nature of the event.
A School With a Rich History
Gosden House School is open to students aged between four and 16-years-old that have either learning or some other form of additional needs. The grounds in which it is set are extensive, meaning that the students get to experience an environment that allows them to challenge their potential and explore their skills. Core learning and communication are key parts of the curriculum, whilst resilience and creativity are also put at the forefront of the learning experience. The hope is that the School will allow the students to go on to succeed in the workplace and be independent.
This is not a location where there is a one-size-fits-all attitude. Instead, the learning is tailored in order to suit the needs of each individual. There is a hope and an aim from the School to give children who face the toughest challenges the chance to improve the possible outcomes in their lives, whilst the students themselves remain lively and enthusiastic. It is a warm and vibrant environment that has ‘Growing lives, building futures’ as the motto. The decision to host Gosdenberry there is one that the Rotary Club has made quite intentionally.