Hertford Town Council is delighted to announce that this year’s Rock at the Castle will take place on Sunday 7th August from 12.30pm – 7pm. The free music festival will be held in the grounds of Hertford Castle and has seen thousands of visitors return year on year.

Although Rock at the Castle is a free event to attend, this year’s selected charity, East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity will be fundraising on the gates to transform the play area at Hertford County Hospital. The charity was selected from many applications by Hertford Town Councillors on Monday 20th June 2022.

Eloise Huddleston, Charity Director at East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity said:

“We are delighted to be Rock at the Castle’s chosen charity of the year, not least because it is exactly 200 years this year since Hertford County Hospital originated as one room in Hertford Castle!

“The funds raised will help us transform the play area at Hertford County Hospital to make visiting hospital a little easier for children and their parents. We will refurbish the garden area so that children and their parents can take a break outside and also provide sensory toys that will help children, including children with complex and additional needs, cope better with their treatment. The sensory toys help calm and distract children so they can be treated more easily.”

Hertford Town Council’s Chairman of Development and Leisure, Cllr Jane Sartin, said:

“A number of charities made a very strong case to be selected as the Rock at the Castle charity beneficiary, and it was a tough decision. The money raised should make a positive difference to children’s experience of visiting Hertford County Hospital, and I hope everyone attending the event will be generous with their donations.” 

East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity supports four hospitals: Hertford County Hospital, Lister Hospital in Stevenage, New QEII in Welwyn Garden City and Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood. 

They raise funds for projects above and beyond the remit of the NHS to enhance patient care and experience to help our NHS Trust to reach its objective of being among the best healthcare providers in the country.

The charity helps to fund new equipment, support services, cutting-edge research, staff training and wellbeing initiatives, art projects and refurbishments and those extra special touches to make a stay in hospital a little easier for patients.

The line up for Rock at the Castle 2022 will be announced in early July.

Hertford Town Council is grateful to our sponsors this year, McMullen’s Brewery, Johnson & Co and Duffield Harrison Solicitors.