Question - what is "FRIENDS of FOLK " ?

Answer - it is an organisation launched to help bring more live folk, acoustic, traditional and other quality live music to Lancashire. The idea has it's roots in a Maddy and the Girls concert in April 2005. It was promoted by two friends - Ken Linford and Jim Minall - under the banner of 'Preston Grey Power Promotions'. The evening was such a tremendous success that Ken and Jim decided to continue to organise more concerts in Central Lancashire.

Therefore 'Grey Power' gave way to a rather more descriptive title of 'Friends of Folk'. The biggest motivation for launching this initiative was the tremendous feedback received following the first concert and all the gigs organised since. These have included a variety of artists and venues with dramatically different capacities. Ken and Jim have enjoyed organising them all - whether it be 100 at the Worden Arts Centre in Leyland or 900 at Preston Guild Hall. They have had the same objectives for all, that people should enjoy their evening listening to, and sometimes joining in with, great musicians.

Friends of Folk changed to a limited company in 2007 and also became vat registered - the tax man was starting to cripple some events and a more formal set-up was required. Friends of Folk is not overtly aimed at making a profit, the main financial objective being to try to break-even over the course of a year. 

To date over 1,000 supporters have joined the Friends of Folk data base and this number increases almost daily.  Go to the web site - http://www.friendsoffolk.org.uk/  to find details of the Lancashire based gigs.         

Maddy Prior appeared at the first Friends of Folk gig in April 2005