Big lineup at Pauls Rd Live show

A great line-up of bands is gearing up for this year’s Pauls Rd Live event.

Organiser Fred Loveridge said Hot Potato, Dusta, Whiskey Mama, Re-Set, The Blue Veinz, Richard Littlejohn and Tauranga band Brilleaux have all confirmed that they will play at the March 8 event.

It will be the 12th annual festival, held at Dean and Marian Butler’s Whanganui East property.

Proceeds are donated to the Gabby’s Starlit Hope charity which distributes them directly to Whanganui families caring for a child who has cancer.

“The amount raised from the concert increases every year and last year we were able to distribute $10,000 to Whanganui families,” Fred said.

“The great thing is that we can donate all the profits to the families, as there are no admin costs deducted.”

Starlit Hope was founded by Gabby Devine in February 2013. Gabby, who was born in Whanganui, was 13 when she died from bone cancer in 2015.

While undergoing an intensive regimen herself, Gabby practised random acts of kindness towards other children hospitalised for cancer treatments and established the charity which has continued to provide hundreds of kind acts ever since.

Whanganui vocalist Kerry O’Sullivan is a relative of the Devine family, as well as Fred’s partner and co-organiser of the Pauls Rd festival.

“Gabby was my niece’s child, and she always talked about the importance of sharing a smile and showing kindness,” Kerry said.

Wanting to directly benefit Whanganui families, O’Sullivan thought that profits from the festival, which were already donated to charity, could go to Starlit Hope.

Last year, three Whanganui families each received $2000, and $4000 worth of food and petrol vouchers were presented to Whanganui Hospital to be distributed to those in need.

Pauls Rd Live 2020:
42 Pauls Rd, Whanganui East, from noon to 7pm Sunday, March 8. Visitors are advised to take their own food (there will be barbecue food for sale), drinks, sunblock, seating and shade.
Tickets $20 adults, $10 children from the Gatshack in Ridgway St.

Liz Wylie
Whanganui Midweek 5/2/20