AN OTLEY musician and micro-brewer has held the first in what will be a series of fundraising online music festivals.

Paul Briscoe has organised the Otley Music Festival Online to support three causes close to his heart.

The lion’s share of the money raised from each performance will be split between Otley Parish Church’s Local to Global campaign and The Woolpack Music and Arts Studios in town.

The remainder, meanwhile, will support musicians whose incomes have been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Briscoe - who runs Briscoe’s Brewery in Otley - held the first online festival on Friday, June 12 when he was among the performers, delivering ‘stunning guitar solos, inspired by his love of nature and events which have shaped his life’.

His fellow performers included: Jon Budworth who opened the festival - joined by a group of musical collaborators - with a song all about Otley; The Nick Wood Band Thing; Hazjak; and singer-songwriter Brian Lynch.

The event’s website at https://otleymusicfestival.wordpress.com/ says: “As you know our planned live festival, featuring singer songwriter Kitty Macfarlane and dozens of talented, locally based musicians, was sadly postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“However, we will not be defeated! We will be showcasing a wealth of talented musicians from in and around the town in an online festival over the forthcoming months.

“In doing so, we hope to raise money for two valuable local charities and to support some of our acts who have lost valuable income due to COVID-19.

“Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details of our next line-up.”

Donations in appreciation of the performances can be made at the online donation page Dr Briscoe has set up at www.gofundme.com/f/otley-music-festival-online.

Explaining how the festival operates and the groups it will benefit, he said: “New video performances will go live each month.

“We are raising money for a number of good causes: 50 per cent of the money raised will go to Otley Parish Church’s Local to Global campaign, supporting Caring For Life (at Crag House Farm, Leeds) and Kisiizi Hospital in Uganda.

“Thirty per cent of the money will go to The Woolpack Music and Arts Studios – a community music and arts studios in the heart of Otley offering a variety of music and arts activities for young people and adults.

“The rest will be used to make donations to professional performing musicians whose incomes have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 restrictions.”