Bands line up to play at Pauls Rd music festival in Whanganui

The annual Pauls Rd Live festival provides an eagerly anticipated day of live music while supporting Whanganui families coping with childhood cancer. Photo / File

Pauls Rd Live 2020 is on the way and organiser Fred Loveridge said there is a great line-up of bands ready to play.

Hot Potato, Dusta, Whiskey Mama, Re-Set, The Blue Veinz, Richard Littlejohn and Tauranga band Brilleaux have all confirmed that they will join the line-up on March 8.

The annual festival, held at Dean and Marian Butler's Whanganui East property, grows bigger each year and Loveridge said this will be the 12th year of the festival.

Proceeds from the festival are donated to the Gabby's Starlit Hope charity which distributes them directly to Whanganui families caring for a child who has cancer.

"The amount raised from the concert increases every year and last year we were able to distribute $10,000 to Whanganui families," Loveridge said.

"The great thing is that we can donate all the profits to the families as there are no admin costs deducted."

Starlit Hope was founded by Gabby Devine in February 2013.

Gabby, who was born in Whanganui, was just 13 when she died from bone cancer in 2015.

Gabby Devine's legacy lives on with Whanganui fundraiser. Photo / File

While undergoing an intensive regimen herself, Gabby practised random acts of kindness towards other children hospitalised for cancer treatments and established the charity which has continued to provide hundreds of kind acts ever since.

Whanganui vocalist Kerry O'Sullivan is a relative of the Devine family as well as Loveridge's partner and co-organiser of the Pauls Rd festival.

"Gabby was my niece's child and she always talked about the importance of sharing a smile and showing kindness," she said.

Wanting to directly benefit Whanganui families, O'Sullivan thought that profits from the festival, which were already donated to charity, could go to Starlit Hope.

Last year, three Whanganui families each received $2000, and $4000 worth of food and petrol vouchers were presented to Whanganui Hospital to be distributed to those in need.

Loveridge and O'Sullivan say it is brilliant that people look forward to the festival each year and enjoy themselves while contributing to a great cause.

Pauls Rd Live 2020: 42 Pauls Rd, Whanganui East, from noon to 7pm Sunday, March 8. Visitors are advised to take their own food (there will also be barbecue food for sale on site), drinks, sunblock, seating and shade. Tickets $20 adults, $10 children available from the Gatshack in Ridgway St from February 1.