Operation Geranium Live kicks off Isle of Wight’s largest independent grassroots festival, Ventnor Fringe, on Friday (23rd July) with free live music throughout the day.
From 11am to 4pm St Catherine’s Church (opposite Ventnor Exchange) will be hosting live music from the likes of Voodoo Raven, Angelina Duo, Any Road, Andy Roberts and Knucklehead.
Showcase Operation Geranium
The Fringe provides a great platform to showcase the Lockdown community project, Operation Geranium, and helps celebrate the role of music and the arts in everyone’s health and wellbeing.
As well as the live music, there’ll be a video presentation inside the Church from Age UK Isle of Wight and at 3pm Age UK will be invited to a press event outside the Church, with other supporters of the Operation Geranium Project.
Jeff Piccinini from UK Subs
Organiser Steve Double told News OnTheWight,
“We have a band formed by songwriter and bass guitarist Jeff Piccinini (also known as Geoff Myles) who wrote songs and played with a generation of punk bands at the end of the 1970’s Chelsea and the UK Subs.
“He has lived in America for many years working as a film documentary-maker and playing in bands writing material.
“In 2013 he released an album with Nic Turner of Hawkwind and Nicky Garrett of the Subs.”
There is no need to book for this event, it’s free and you can just turn up.
Charlie Dore and Julian Littman
Steve has also organised an event at the Church in the evening.
Tickets are available to hear the songs and anecdotes of Charlie Dore and musician Julian Littman of Steeleye Span.
Find out more and how to book.
What is Operation Geranium?
Operation Geranium Project is an award-winning project created by local NHS worker, Steve Double. It was one of many initiatives funded by The Coronavirus Crisis Appeal set up by WightAid and The IW High Sheriff Caroline Peel.
Plants packs grown by people with disabilities at Care In The Garden were gifted to Age UK IW clients and distributed via a network of local volunteers.
Free postcards
In addition, working with local artists, 25,000 free postcards were designed and distributed to support loneliness and isolation, helping the most vulnerable Island residents through a time of crisis.
Operation 2.0 was launched in May this year, when volunteers from Age UK Isle of Wight began delivery of geraniums, grown at Care In The Garden by people with support needs, to 400 clients across the Island over eight weeks.
The free Fringe event is sponsored by Neutrik and Aspire Creative Hub.
