Folk U Cancer: the Trispen festival with a defiant name

The name is meant to make you look twice. Folk U Cancer! is a new one-day festival heading for the fields just outside Truro next summer, and the people behind it want the day to be about living, with cancer the thing that gets put in its place.

It will be held at The Barn at Pengelly in Trispen on Sunday 18 July 2027, with music, storytelling, wellbeing sessions, family activities, food and crafts, all raising money for organisations that support people affected by cancer.

Where the money goes

The organisers say every penny raised will go towards cancer care and wellbeing. The funds will benefit the Made for Life Foundation and Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity, with a donation also going to The Joshua Tree children’s cancer charity.

The Made for Life Foundation has supported more than 10,000 people living with and beyond cancer through wellbeing programmes, its Tea & Therapy sessions and therapeutic support. It has also trained more than 3,500 therapists to safely welcome people affected by cancer into wellbeing spaces.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity pays for patient welfare, equipment, research and staff development over and above core NHS provision. The Joshua Tree supports children and families affected by childhood cancers.

Why the festival is being made in Cornwall

An estimated 29,000 people in Cornwall are living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis. Add in their families, carers and friends, and cancer reaches a large share of the county.

Geography can make it harder. People in treatment may have long journeys to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, or to specialist centres outside the county altogether. And the organisers point out that cancer can knock confidence, identity, relationships and mental wellbeing, leaving people feeling isolated at the moment they most need company.

The festival’s feasibility report sums up the thinking in one line: “The NHS treats the cancer. Community helps hold the person.”

The organisers also point to a 2025 systematic review in BMJ Oncology, which found loneliness and social isolation among people living with cancer were associated with a 34% higher risk of death from any cause. It is an association rather than proof of cause and effect, but it is the reason connection sits at the centre of the plans.

What will be on

Folk artists from the South West will provide the music. Around them there will be talks and storytelling, wellbeing sessions, family activities, locally supplied food and drink, community arts and crafts, and fundraising.

Visitors will be able to try wildflower walks, yoga, sound bathing and other nature-based experiences. A dedicated storytelling space will host conversations and talks from people with experience and expertise to share.

There will also be practical help on hand, with information on finances, legal rights, wellbeing and community services for anyone affected by cancer.

The idea is that people take from the day whatever they need. A dance, a conversation, a quiet moment, or simply finding someone who understands.

A launch for sponsors and supporters

Before any of that, the festival is being unveiled to potential sponsors, businesses, supporters and community partners at The Barn at Pengelly on Monday 30 November. They will be able to see the venue, hear the story behind Folk U Cancer! and find out how sponsorship and partnership can help get it off the ground.

The organisers hope that, with enough backing, it can become an annual event that raises significant sums, supports local suppliers and builds awareness for years to come.

The Pengelly venue was chosen for its countryside setting, its flexibility and existing facilities, and the calm atmosphere it gives. Between 400 and 600 people are expected at the first festival, with plans to grow over time without losing the quality of the day.

Its tagline is already set: “Cancer may change lives. It does not define them.”

📷The Barn at Pengelly, Trispen, venue for the first Folk U Cancer! festival