G-Festival

The Foundation of Hope

The charity music festival, G - Festival, came about when Steve Murray lost his daughter Georgia following her third major open heart operation which was necessary to treat a complex congenital heart condition. Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defect, affecting almost 1 in 100 babies born in the UK. Following Georgia's passing, whilst traveling around parts of the world, Steve noticed the hundreds of children that were struggling in poverty-stricken countries such as Cambodia. Steve decided he wanted to do more to help and using his enormous passion for music as a starting point, he decided to reach out and gather local talent. His vision was to have them all perform, one night of the year, for his newly founded charity ‘Georgia’s Children of the World’ and he called it Georgia’s Festival.

With an ethos of, ‘to change the lives of children in extreme need and poverty, regardless of race, religion, and politics’, it’s easy to see why many rallied together to support. For several years the local community has aided the charity with monetary donations to the general spreading of knowledge for what the organisation wishes to achieve. Long-standing volunteer, Marcus Goodwin, says: “The festival is not only an excellent family day out, with tribute acts and live bands, it’s about giving opportunities to local talent whilst also being a part of something bigger by fundraising for those less fortunate.”

The Community & Their Music

“I’ve seen that the music helps bring people together and form a bond between them that may never have been found otherwise,” says Volunteer Marcus Goodwin. Lead scientists at Harvard agree that music is indeed a universal language, and is often used to nurture and can even be used to aid in times of mourning. Steve clearly recognised this and even states that the purpose of the festival is not only to remember his loss but also to give everyone there the opportunity to remember and pay tribute to those they have lost.

The last time the festival was able to go ahead in 2018 (due to covid lockdowns) there were more than 12 bands, including some up-and-coming local talent, and this year’s performers are said to be some of the best yet. As well as popular cover artists, Steve has made it clear he wants to give younger musicians a place to practice and perform their craft whilst also building good character which will aid the community over time. The repeated success of G-Fest has shown time and time again that it’s a perfect opportunity for people to come together and support one another as a community and proves how art can influence change all around us on multiple scales.

The Lasting Effects of Social Change

No matter how big or small an artistic movement may seem, it’s regularly apparent that music has led to some of the most recognised social changes in our history. Live Aid (1985) is one of the most renowned ‘concerts for cause’ due to its sheer scale and influence, whereas G-Fest achieves almost the same on a local stance. Steve speaks about how the people of Worsley reach out to him regularly to ask about the next festival, but he’s always appreciative that the community continues to understand the concept of awareness as well as appreciating the music.

Thanks to the repeated support and donations from the local community, Steve and Georgia’s Children of the World have built 8 houses that support the education and development of underprivileged children in Cambodia, Romania, and Salford. It is their hope to have at least 19 of Georgia’s Houses built across the world in the next ten years and thankfully record has proven that music can indeed aid people’s understanding and social change.

G-Festival will bring the community back together on Saturday the 17th of June at AFC Monton in Worsley.

'It's coming home'...