Festival in memory of son to mark 10 years

A music festival in memory of a man who took his own life is set to mark 10 years of the event, with organisers hoping it will encourage more young people to seek mental health support.

Willfest 26 is named after Will Garvey, from West Hallam in Derbyshire, who was studying at the University of Leeds when he died. His parents said they had noticed their son becoming more withdrawn but were unaware of the extent of his struggle with anxiety and depression.

Following his death, the family began hosting annual memorial concerts in their garden, which grew into a full-scale festival.

His mother, Joanna, said: "We have created an atmosphere Will would have enjoyed and approved of."

This year's festival will take place at Oakfield Farm in Stanley Common on 5 September, with proceeds supporting the Will Garvey Trust Foundation.

The charity was established by the family to encourage teenagers and young adults experiencing mental health difficulties to speak openly and seek support. Its slogan, 'WTF', stands for 'Why Talking Fixes'.

Joanna said she was determined to prevent other families experiencing the loss they had suffered.

"I've learned so much since Will died, too late to make a difference to him, but not to others," she said.

She described her son as a music lover who enjoyed attending festivals, including Glastonbury.

"Willfest is not quite to this scale but we like to think we have created an atmosphere Will would have enjoyed and approved of," she added.

The charity's work has been recognised by Erewash Borough Council's ceremonial mayor Greg Maskalick, who recently presented Joanna with a certificate of appreciation.

Maskalick said the foundation was helping to make a difference to the lives of young people.

In a tribute published on the charity's website, Kevan Garvey described Will as "a wonderful son".

"We will never really understand why Will took that decision," he wrote. "However, we know that his light shone and still shines brightly."

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