Chesil Rocks Cancellation - Update

 

Owing to growing concerns around COVID-19, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Chesil Rocks 2020. 

 

This has not been a decision taken lightly, but in light of recent developments and announcements, it seems likely that cases of Coronavirus in the UK will be peaking in the days and weeks leading up to Chesil Rocks this year and we need to ensure the health and safety of all those attending our event - festival goers, performers, volunteers and service providers. 

 

Additionally, at the time when our NHS and other services may be under significant pressures, we do not wish to be party to any event which may add to those pressures. 

 

By cancelling the event now, we are less exposed to financial loss than would be the case if we were forced to cancel nearer to the date of the event.

 

All those who have purchased tickets will be refunded upon request, or alternatively, their tickets will be honored at our 2021 event, scheduled for 17th -19th June. 

 

We deeply regret this course of action and would like to extend our sincere apologies to all those affected, but see no alternative under the current circumstances. 

 

Tim and Hilary Warren

Chesil Rocks has been an annual music and arts festival since 2012, with all proceeds going to Samaritans of Dorset. Since the first Chesil Rocks, we have raised around £68,000 for the charity, equating to about 25% of their annual budget in each year. With no government funding, our Samaritans (who are all volunteers), need to spend much of their time on fundraising activities and our contribution allows them to focus more on what they do best.

​

Chesil Rocks will be on three days in 2020, starting on the evening of Thursday 18th June with a Comedy Night, then on Friday 19th June our Prelude event with an evening of classical music will take place and this will be followed by our main event from 12pm until midnight on Saturday 20th June. Those wishing to attend should be aware that each event will be subject to individual ticketing. In other words, the ticket to one event will not entitle you to attend the others! You will need to purchase a ticket to each event.

​

Suicide remains the leading cause of death in men under the age of 50, and 3/4 of those who take their own lives are men. It also disproportionately affects certain groups, for example those affected by Aspergers, construction workers, farmers, doctors/dentists, musicians, young people and post-natal women. In 2018, there was a significant rise in recorded suicides in the UK and this coincided with the highest number of suicides ever recorded in Dorset, since comparable records began. These are the reasons we started and then decided to continue supporting Samaritans.