A happy crowd gathered at Barnet’s Black Horse pub on August Bank Holiday Sunday 2025. They were there to enjoy each other’s company, listen and dance to groovy music, take part in or witness the handing over of a big cheque, and celebrate the huge support that Summer Soulstice gives to Cherry Lodge Cancer Care.
Ahead of Payback Day 2025, Summer Soulstice chairman Dave James warned that some people might find this year’s cheque (for £10,000) rather disappointing compared with the huge amounts raised in previous years. Nonetheless, this year’s total was, in Dave’s words, ‘quite miraculous when you consider everything that came our way … dreadful weather [in 2024] with many other local events cancelled, poor ticket sales initially and huge amounts of money to be paid out to headline acts and suppliers. And all this in a world gone seemingly mad.’ In the circumstances, raising £10,000 was a great achievement and everyone involved has good reason to be proud of their efforts.
The Payback ceremony took place a little after 6.30pm, beginning with a short speech (acknowledged to be AI assisted but still heartfelt!) from Richard Weekes, brother of Andy, in whose memory Summer Soustice was founded back in 2007. The fantastic achievement of Summer Soulstice and Cherry Lodge volunteers was acknowledged by Richard and warm thanks were given. The big cheque was then held up by Jamie Farquharson of Summer Soulstice for all to see (and would later feature in numerous photographs). Finally, Cherry Lodge co-chair Katherine Edwards thanked Summer Soulstice for their many years of support and stressed how important the money raised by Soulstice (£530,000+ since 2017) is to enabling Cherry Lodge to provide our many services to local people affected by cancer.
