We are thrilled to announce that Laugh for Life Comedy & Care Merseyside clients have been chosen as this year’s recipients of Edinburgh Fringe Festivals ‘Keep it Fringe’ funding 2025!
We will be taking 6 of our extremely talented comedy course performers along for the ride for a special 2 day performance. Over the past year we have recruited 3 cohorts of individuals to attend a 5 week comedy course, initially referred via their GP practice and self referred for social prescribing support. All 3 cohorts learnt how to write a stand up comedy piece under tutor Henry Churney, and perform their comedy live at Hot Water Comedy Club’s venue, Blackstock Market in Liverpool.
“By bringing our show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we hope to engage with both local and international audiences, starting a conversation about mental health and supporting individuals in our community,” said Henry. “We’re incredibly grateful to have received this funding, and it would not be possible without the generosity of the Keep it Fringe Fund”.
After the success of 3 stand up comedy courses over the past year, ran in partnership with Henry Churney of Laugh for Life Comedy, Henry took the decision to apply for the 2025 ‘Keep it Fringe’ funding. This £2,500 bursary is given to boost up-and-coming artists and aims to ensure that artists from all backgrounds have the opportunity to put on a show for the international audiences and industry professionals that gather in Edinburgh each summer. This is the third year of the fund, an initiative created to support Fringe artists to realise their professional ambitions, and in 2025 funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The Keep it Fringe fund was launched in 2023 by the Fringe Society’s honorary President Phoebe Waller-Bridge and funded by the Fleabag for Charity campaign, alongside funds donated to the Fringe Society by Edinburgh Gin.
The bursary will enable 6 of our talented comedy course participants to travel to this year’s prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival and perform 2 shows titled ‘Behind the Laughter’. The shows are set to take place in Surgeon’s Hall on 20th and 21st August 2025. We are delighted for our social prescribing clients and Laugh for Life Comedy to be given the opportunity to take part in such an exciting, culturally acclaimed event. Further details will be announced in due course!
Robbie one of our participants said: “To everyone who took part in the showcase tonight you were all absolutely brilliant. Many thanks especially to Henry and Care Merseyside also the Hot Water Comedy Club for all the support and encouragement which culminated in a very special night which I’ll never forget. You can see how stand up is so compulsive and the adrenaline rush is unbelievable!!”
Jeff also said “I think we all just took a deep breath, said “F**k it” and jumped in! well done everyone. From a personal experience I’ve found that whatever the activity we choose, social prescribing definitely works and helps people.”
A BIG thanks goes out to Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Keep it Fringe fund, we are so looking forward to being part of this years festival.
To read more on the 2025 Keep it Fringe Award & Recipients click here: https://www.edfringe.com/about-us/news-and-blog/keep-it-fringe-2025-180-award-recipients-announced/
