Mike Peters’ new festival set to rock the quarries
THREE-TIME cancer survivor Mike Peters will launch a new music festival in Snowdonia this summer in aid of others who have been diagnosed with the disease.
The Alarm frontman who has organised Snowdon Rocks for the past 12 years is teaming up with Zip World this year for an even bigger event.
As well Peters leading a procession of fans to the summit of Wales’ highest point this summer on the annual Snowdon Rocks sponsored walk, he will also host the first ever Zip World Rocks.
The music festival set with the backdrop of Penrhyn Quarry will see a host of live acts take to the stage to raise money for Love Hope Strength – a charity that primarily focuses on finding matches for people that need life saving blood stem cell donations.
The charity was founded by the Dyserth-born rock star 10 years ago after Peters was successfully treated for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in 2005 and 2006.
The headline act will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Following the annual hike on Sat- urday, June 23, that will take fans on a 20km walk from the Zip World Adventure Terminal, up the Ogwen Valley and to Devil’s Kitchen – festival goers will head back to the Adventure Terminal for the music event which gets underway at 5pm.
With a different route planned for 2018, Snowdonia Rocks will take ramblers on a 12 mile hike from Zip World’s Adventure Terminal at Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda to the summit.
Days after the 2015 event, Peters went to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor for a routine check-up where doctors found the disease had returned for a third time.
The following summer, the 59-year-old received more devastating news when his wife, Jules, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
After undergoing two operations at Ysbyty Gwynedd, followed by 18 weeks of chemotherapy and four weeks of radiation treatment at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, she also overcame her battle.
Now, two years on, Peters is hoping to raise even more money for the charity to help others diagnosed with cancer.
Sean Taylor, co-director of Zip World, said: “We are proud to be working with Mike and Jules Peters and the Love Hope Strength Foundation.
“The work the charity does affects the whole team at Zip World, either directly or indirectly through friends and family, so we are delighted to be able to support in some way.
“We have a unique venue with an incredible setting so we hope to become one of the most iconic music events in the UK with our new partnership.”
Last year’s hike saw the culmination of a 10-day epic 130+ mile walk across North Wales. Peters began walking at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and ended the walk at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor.
Since launching the event in 2008, hundreds of thousands of pounds have been raised to support cancer patients.
Tickets for Zip World Rocks and Snowdonia Rocks are priced £15 for those over 18, and £5 for those under 18.
They are available to buy online now at zipworld.co.uk or by calling 01248 601444. VIP packages for Zip World Rocks are also available for £50 per person for over 18s and £20 for under 18s.