Head teachers in Morecambe and Lancaster have spoken of their delight as their schools received a share of £13,000 raised from an annual music festival supported by Beyond Radio.
School Aid 2025 took place over three days on the weekend of February 14-16.
The money was raised from donations, auctions and raffles, and was split between eight local schools who received £1625 each.
This was the highest total raised in the seven-year history of the event, which was co-founded by Morecambe musician Jay Blackburn and Rob Ellershaw of The Exchange pub.
The eight schools to benefit are West End, Westgate, Morecambe Bay and St Mary's in Morecambe, St Patrick's and Sandylands in Heysham, and Skerton St Luke's and Castle View in Lancaster.
Greg Lambert from Beyond Radio joined Jay and Rob as they visited the schools to hand over the funds on Tuesday.
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Sharon Cliff, head teacher of West End Primary School, said: "We always involve our school council in how we're going to spend School Aid money. They're going to look at what they need that we can't actually provide through our very limited budgets at the moment.
"School Aid allows us a pot of money that we wouldn't have had. Last year we invested in music, because so many of our children don't have access to musical instruments or tuition, so we bought a full set of ukuleles, we invested more in what we can do at playtime. We'll see what they want to spend the funds on this year."
Jane Henderson, head teacher of Westgate Primary School, said: "Any money makes a difference. We are always looking for ways to make our children's learning more exciting and memorable, and this money will go towards that."
Allison Hickson, head teacher of Sandylands Primary School, said: "Last year we put some of our money to a Big Day Out.
"It meant that every single child at the school got a fabulous day out at Blackpool. We went to zoos and that's not something they may have got ordinarily.
"Thank you to Jay and all the musicians."
Rob Ellershaw said: "I think it's been absolutely great to get into the schools and be greeted by head teachers and other members of staff, and hear first hand their ideas of how they are going to use that money.
"It just reinforces why we do, what we do."
Jay Blackburn said: "This is the day that is most rewarding, handing the money over, and seeing the excited faces.
"When you hear all the ideas and what they might use the money for, it does make it all worthwhile. It's being used to provide good opportunities for these kids."
School Aid 2025 began with the West End Soul Club - a night of soul, mod and ska with DJs Paul 'Soul' Johnson, Steve Jarvis and Jay Blackburn - at the Boardwalk in Morecambe on Friday February 14.
Saturday February 15's event at The Bobbin was hosted by Beyond Radio's Phill Hayward and SilentMark, with music from David Frederick, Keith Mitchell and Graham Mumford, Jefferson Moore, Jimmy Ward and Paul Corless, Mark Jones, David Woods and friends, The Glass Poppies, The Limes, The Call Up and Kiwi.
Sunday February 16's event at The Exchange was hosted by Beyond Radio's Greg Lambert, with music from One Non Blonde, Terry Ross, Longshot, Lucy Blackburn, The Good Souls, Benni Beard, Stuart Michaels, Fuse, Indifferent Monkey, Shelly's Bane, Defined By, Listen Twice, and a special performance from West End Primary School.
School Aid was founded after Jay watched a shocking TV news report about the poverty of children in a local primary school. Beyond Radio has supported the event since it began in 2018.
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Westgate
Morecambe Bay
St Mary's
Skerton St Luke's
Castle View
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