We are fundraising to purchase a new PA system for our Chapel venue.

This will cost around £4000 and includes Speakers, monitors, mixing desk, microphones and additional staging. Our aim is to put this into use in 2024.

Who we are: The Sheffield General Cemetery Trust is responsible for the maintenance and development of the Sheffield General Cemetery, a heritage park and nature reserve at the heart of the Sharrow and Nether Edge Communities. Charity Number: 1103158

Our venue: The Trust is establishing a community, education and performance hub in Samuel Worth Chapel, which was saved from dereliction and brought back into use in 2018.

Events: In the first six months of 2023, we hosted a range of events and exhibitions including 14 live music events featuring 23 bands and solo musicians which achieved over 850 attending.

Our small capacity, 60, and unusual location has attracted a lot of interest from audiences and musicians. We have also developed distinctive brands for some events for example, Into the Trees and the Cemetery Sessions, which regularly sell out and have a waiting list of bands who want to perform. We have also developed successful partnerships, including with the Sharrow Festival and Jazz at the Lescar.

The events are staffed by volunteers, except those required by our license, such as security.

Why do we need your support? We regularly have sell-out gigs, but as our capacity is strictly limited to 60 people including event staff, our margins are very tight and limit our ability to make a future investments in a PA.

Investment in a PA will benefit musicians and performers, our audiences and wider community. It will make our venue more accessible to a broader range of community events events and musicians who may not have access to a PA.

A new adaptable PA will also increase the range of community events held in the chapel and open up the venue to new audiences as we will be able to programme a broader range of events, helping new and younger musicians and those from a wider range of musical backgrounds.

For more information, please contact:

Emma Larsson-Revitt: emma.larsson-revitt@gencem.org

Andy Smith: andy.smith@gencem.org