THE volunteers behind the Carperby Concerts fundraising events are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

Carperby Concerts began in 2009 when folk superstar Phil Beer suggested to village resident Steve Sheldon that he could come and play in Carperby Village Institute at a fund raiser for the local playing fields association.

Since then 27 concerts have taken place, initially to provide funds for a new sports’ pavilion but subsequently for a whole range of local and national organisations and charities..

More than £20,000 has been raised since 2009 and every penny of profit has gone to the nominated beneficiaries.

Amongst those receiving money from the concerts have been Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Herriot Hospice Homecare, Aysgarth Church Roof Fund, Yorkshire Cancer Research and local primary schools.

Nationally, Macmillan Cancer Support and Teenage Cancer Trust have benefited, with motor neuron and young people’s mental health charities due to receive donations in 2020.

The purchase of a Braille generator for a blind school in the The Gambia was, perhaps, the most unusual request for a donation.

Mr Sheldon said: “Throughout the ten years some of the top acts in the folk and acoustic genre have visited the village and the reputation of the concerts is such that people travel long distances to attend.

“We will continue to bring top quality musicians to the Dales and look forward to 2020."