Gosport summer festival opened by mayor and MP Caroline Dinenage raises £2,000 in charity cash for Breast Cancer Now and Prostate Cancer UK

More than 1,500 people came to the Gosportarians Summer Festival at Walpole Park on Saturday, July 23, in support of Breast Cancer Now and Prostate Cancer UK.

The event, organised by a community network, saw live performances from local groups as well as a dog show comprising of 18 categories, a classic car show and 38 stall holders attend.

The mayor of Gosport, councillor Jamie Hutchinson, and Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage opened the day’s events at 10am.

It was set up by Malcolm Dent, the founder of Gosportarians, and the 73-year-old was eager to provide a day of cheap entertainment with an entry cost of £1 while raising vital charity cash.

The festival has so far raised more than £2,200 which will go towards funding cancer treatment and services.

Malcolm, who owns a digital media business, said: ‘The idea was that people could come in for £1 and spend the whole day enjoying free music, free flowers and free bouncy castles.

‘We ran a dog show and a car show so all the money that's raised from the entrants of those goes to the charities.’

Malcolm ran a prostate testing service at Bay House in May 2021 after taking a test himself at Hayling Island and decided he wanted to encourage more men to come forward to get tested.

‘I approached [the prostate] charity to see if they'd come to Gosport but they needed someone local to set it up.

‘I contacted Bay House for the use of their facilities and that's how it started up.

‘We took 400 men during the day last year. There's that lovely feeling that something small you've done has made a major difference to someone's life.’

Malcom is also supporting the town’s Asda store in raising money for their breast cancer campaign, Tickled Pink.

The festival staged live music from a ‘50s and ‘60s band Shevvy 55, shadows band, The Faux Shadows and performances from Suki Gymnastics and Stageskool Theatre Arts at Gosport.

This is the fourth time Malcolm has organised the event with the help of volunteers from the community.