A FREE music festival with a family fun-day theme will be celebrating the life of a Weymouth schoolgirl and raising awareness of worthy causes.

Rock in Hope will be taking place this Sunday at Nothe Gardens from noon until 10pm in memory of 15-year-old Robyn Nixon, whose death shocked the town in April last year.

The mini-festival is being organised by Robyn’s older sister Aimee Michel, who held an impromptu event last year in Lower St Alban Street at the spot where Robyn tragically fell from the roof of a multi-storey car park.

Aimee, who wants to ensure a lasting legacy for her loved one, hopes the fun, happy, music-filled celebration will provide youth awareness with informative stalls for teenagers and parents alike about the help available for victims of bullying.

Aimee said: “The aims of Rock in Hope is to encourage and stimulate youth awareness, especially the fight against bullying, to highlight the ever-growing youth culture and celebrate our community in all its forms – both our young and older generations.

“The event has been set up in memory of Robyn Danielle Nixon, who died aged 15 as a result of ‘bullycide.’ The aim of Rock in Hope is to provide all of this for the whole family in a picturesque and safe environment.

The event will pull resources from our local areas in all its forms, including pop music, indie, rock, jazz and folk music, dance, drama, photography, poetry and other creative forms of art and design.”

To offer help, email aimee_michel@msn.com or call 07920 058414.

Cash to good causes

ROCK in Hope will be fundraising for Robyn’s Fund.

All monies will be evenly distributed to a local anti-bullying campaign planned by Robyn’s Fund for National Anti-Bullying weeks (November 14 to 25 2011), the Waves Youth Project charity and a national charity campaign ‘Say Never Again’ run by beatbullying.org.

The line-up of top local artists includes Tom Caulfield, Danny Adams, Leanne ‘All About Gaga’ Warne, Billy Hutchinson, Desert Rose, Jenny Sims and Rosie, Sheryl Lee, This Fall, 8 Days Later, Jack Flash, The Crack and Hybrid.

The event will encompass two areas – The Photo Booth and We Love Art. The Photo Booth will include various props for people to wear and have their picture taken by photographers. We Love Art will be a large arts and crafts area run by Robyn’s eldest sister Tania Cox.