ISLAND musicians and other acts showed their hearts were in the right place by giving up their time and talent for free in support of this year’s Winter Ludfest festival, in aid of a new defibrillator.
A record 23 acts performed for more than 18 hours at the King Lud pub on Ryde Esplanade on Saturday.
The festival, the seventh Ludfest, was supported by good-sized audiences all day.
The event raised £360 for a new defibrillator at the pub, under the venue’s Beating Heart campaign.
Ryde’s firefighters had also donated £300 to the fund in the run up to the event.
Bands included Fetch, Feck, Mad ‘n Me, Sebotage, Koln, IFP, Daughters of Soil, Little Martha, King Kuna, Sexy Pretty Things, Bobbin and the Babymakers, #ashtag, Something From Nothing, Proud Mary and Stars of 45, supported by DJs, a fire eater and a burlesque act.
Jacqui Sumner, one of the pub’s managers, said: “There was a great atmosphere throughout the day — all in the spirit of giving — and a good, steady stream of people coming along to enjoy the Island bands and other acts.
“Considering the amount of people who came along to it, it was trouble-free, and we managed to reach our £1,000 cash target for a new defibrillator for the pub.
“We’ve had a few dramas this year — the last being during this summer’s scooter rally, during which a diabetic had collapsed in the toilets.
“We had an off-duty paramedic on site who helped, but the IW Ambulance Service sent us out to get a defibrillator but none in the area were available.
“That was what spurred us on to start a new fundraising campaign to get one for the pub.”
Ludfest was established in May 2013, to promote live music and featured just five bands on the bill.