Spongefest: Festival in memory of Sheffield Wednesday fan Sam Fisher coming to Network nightclub

A charity festival named after a young Sheffield Wednesday fan who died after suffering from mental health issues is coming to Sheffield next week.

In Sams Name is hosting the 'Spongefest' festival at Network nightclub on Saturday, October 14, from 6pm to 3am. The charity is named after Sam 'Sponge' Fisher, who passed away in Australia on October 16, 2021, in tragic circumstances.

Charlie McHugh, the festivals organiser, said: "We are trying to use the ‘Spongefest’ name to raise awareness for men’s mental health and how the music industry helps a lot of people to cope with their struggles. So using this festival to get bands on board creates some sort of talking point as everyone can unfortunately relate to the cause."

In Sams Name is a talking and peer support group launched by Richard McHugh. It aims to help men who have either been through a challenging time or are currently going through issues that are affecting their mental health.

The team have also set up In Sams Name - For Her, which aims to provide similar peer support for women in similar situations.

The festival line-up includes a number of popular local acts, including the former Kartica frontman, Mat Hook, who will be joined at the event by Madame Claude, Alice Ede, Lewis Newton, Jamie Fox and Project 7 DJs.

Mat said: "I’ll be playing as one of the few gigs I’ll be doing in Sheffield for the rest of the year.

"The response to my debut single ‘Runaway Road’, released last month, has been great, with it being played on BBC Radio and at both the city’s footballl grounds, so I’m looking forward to playing live on the night as it’s a great cause and also ‘Network’ is a great live venue. These events have always attracted a good atmosphere over the last two years!"

2023 will be Spongefest's third year in Sheffield. It is said live music was a passion of Sams and the festival is seen as a continuation of his legacy. He was said to have a lust for life and was a huge Sheffield Wednesday fan.

The original Spongefest aimed to raise funds to repatriate Sam to the UK after his tragic death, but now serves to assist In Sams Name with their work to help others.