PETERSFIELD Town Council is behind this weekend’s Sunflower Music Festival fundraiser for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Being held in the council-owned Festival Hall, the weekend-long event starting on Saturday will include a wide variety of music genres, appealing to all ages and tastes.

The festival, that will see the Phil Collins tribute band No Jacket Required headline on Saturday night, was the brainchild of council deputy halls manager Phil Swan.

He is an experienced sound and lighting engineer with a passion for music who during the Covid lockdown supported the NHS with his version of the classic Lean On Me.

Joint festival organiser council media and events officer Kathryn Ellis-Blandford said: “Ukrainian families are facing separation or, worse, losing their loved ones and lives are still in constant danger.

“We are showing our solidarity and support for Ukraine through the universal language of music.”

Local bands, musicians and DJs have all offered to appear for free.

Kathryn added: “In addition to the wonderful music, the Festival Hall hosts a first for the town – Mini-Ravers, a rave for mums and dads where their toddlers and children can come along too.”

Over the weekend there will be two performance areas, with the main stage in the hall crammed with bands, tribute groups and original artists.

The Rose Room – where there will also be a bar and food – will host the Sing for Ukraine acoustic stage.

And the festival is just part of the council’s commitment to helping the town and surrounding villages support Ukraine.

Refugees from the war-torn country arriving in Petersfield have been helped, initially with welcome gift boxes (pictured below).

And Cllr Paul Milner organised a project that saw schoolchildren grow sunflowers to sell for the appeal.

Schools in Petersfield, Greatham, Sheet, East Meon, Liss and Liphook, among others, raised £1,102 for DEC.

Cllr Milner said: “We received a wonderful response and the children loved being involved.”

Sunflower Festival tickets are available online from the council website at https://www.petersfield-tc.gov.uk/ or from the Festival Hall. Ticket prices are Saturday £15, Sunday, £10, under-18s £9, Mini-Ravers £8, under-threes £3.