Flag day expands with music across town centre

The annual flag day for Worthing Churches Homeless Projects was launched in 2001, with volunteer Jean Saunders at the helm.

She continued to co-ordinate the musical element of the event for 14 years, before taking a step back after last year’s successful busk.

This year, the event has been rebranded and renamed the WCHP Summer Busk. There are four venues, including indoor options.

Community fundraiser Rachel Blair said: “It is a fantastic annual event giving local bands the opportunity to play to Worthing residents while raising much-needed funds and awareness for the charity.

“Richard Amey and Ian Barber have rallied round the support of local musicians and secured more musical venues to help raise as much money as possible.

“Many of the charity’s fantastic volunteers will be spread out across the town centre with collection tins. The event raised £1,851.24 last year and this year we would love to get closer to the £2,000 mark.”

There is a great line-up planned for South Street Square but the music will be moved to The Libertine, in Portland Road, if the weather proves too wet.

Irish folk band Flash Company are on at 10am, Muso Bango and Dave at 11.45am, American country boogie experts Cadillac Country from 12.15pm to 2pm, Elvis tribute band Eel Fish Parsley from 2.30pm to 4pm and young dancers from RSOPA to follow.

The second venue is The Lido, or Alehouse and Kitchen, in High Street, if it rains.

Loki kicks off at 10am, followed by singer-songwriter Trevor Clawson at 11am, Shoreham Allstars at 12pm, Boxwood String Band at 2pm and four-piece Snakes and Ladders at 3pm.

The other venues are Royal Arcade and The Cow Shed, in Marine Parade.

Richard, who has performed himself every year, said: “The move has been made this year to increase the scale of the long-established annual event that raises funds for the Worthing Churches Homeless Projects.

“In 2000, a colleague and I recognised that this charity would be of growing importance to the town and we formed Outcry to help raise local awareness of it and to raise money with the fees we earned from our performances.

“In 2013, Outcry came to a natural end but Ges Gibbens and I continued to perform at the flag day in La Luna.

“This was only one of plenty events Jean put together each year for the charity but me, with my music scene knowledge and event experience, and Ian, with his expert sound expertise and event experience elsewhere, both realised together we could grow the event in range and significance for the town.

“We intend it to be a voluntary public gesture by the musicians of Worthing on behalf of the town’s increasing homeless which draws attention to the principal agency tackling the problem in multiple ways at the coal face.”

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