Irish legends for new-name festival

Burgess Hill Fairtrade’s prime sponsor will be Freedom Leisure, which will be involved in the programme, and the festival will be called the Fairtrade and Freedom Festival.

Robert Eggleston, of Burgess Hill Town Fairtrade, said: “The Martlets in Burgess Hill is an important venue for the Fairtrade Festival and the team at the Martlets has been terrific supporters over the years.

“When Michael McGinley, Freedom Leisure’s manager at the Martlets, said that Freedom Leisure would like to do more to promote the Festival we just felt that this was a natural progression for us.

“To acknowledge their support next year’s festival will be the Burgess Hill Fairtrade and Freedom Festival”

Mr McGinley said :“We have always been impressed with the range of events put on by Burgess Hill Fairtrade and our support next year is a way of putting something back into the community and helping to support Fairtrade in Burgess Hill.”

The Burgess Hill Fairtrade and Freedom Festival starts on Friday March 7 -16.

The grand opening is at the Martlets and is kicked off by Rock Choir from Sussex, Hereward Kaye, former ex Flying

Pickets member and his band, and BAFTA award winning scriptwriter turned stand up Paul Kerensa, who has performed in Miranda, Not Going Out and The Now Show.

Its programme includes a show at the Martlets on March 8 with The Dublin Legends formerly known as The Dubliners, who continue the tradition of the legendary Irish folk band.