CarFest 2026 Announces Five New Local Charity Partners as Festival Heads to Silverstone for the First Time Five charities based in counties neighbouring Silverstone Circuit to benefit from CarFest's August Bank Holiday debut at the home of British motorsport

CarFest has announced its support for five regional charity partners for its 2026 festival, taking place at Silverstone over the August Bank Holiday weekend from 28 to 30 August. Northamptonshire Community Foundation, The Pace Centre, Helen & Douglas House, The Smallpeice Trust and Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity will each receive 2% of the total funds raised through CarFest this year, as the festival broadens its charitable reach to support communities close to its new home.

It marks a significant moment for CarFest, which has raised over £28 million for UK children's charities since launching in 2012. As the festival, founded by Chris Evans, makes its first ever appearance at Silverstone, the addition of five local partners reflects an exciting new chapter in its charitable giving.

Chris Evans, Founder of CarFest, said: “CarFest has always been about more than a great weekend. It is about making a genuine difference to the communities around us. As we head to Silverstone for the first time, we are so proud to be supporting five incredible local charities doing vital work right on our doorstep. Every ticket bought this August Bank Holiday will help fund that work, and we cannot wait to celebrate that together.”

The Five Regional Charity Partners

1. Northamptonshire Community Foundation is the leading independent grant-making charity in the county, channelling over £1 million in grants every year to organisations tackling some of the most pressing challenges in local communities, from child poverty and homelessness to social isolation and unemployment. Since 2001, it has awarded more than £25 million to charities and community groups across Northamptonshire, with every pound raised staying in the county


2. The Pace Centre, based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, has been transforming the lives of children with neurodisabilities since 1990. Through its specialist school and therapy centre, Pace works with babies, children and young people aged 0 to 18 with conditions including cerebral palsy, combining education and therapy in a unique integrated approach. It currently works with more than 500 children and families from across Buckinghamshire and the surrounding counties.


3. Helen & Douglas House holds a remarkable place in history as the world's first children's hospice, founded in Oxford in 1982. Today it provides palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care for babies and children aged 0 to 18 with life-limiting and terminal conditions, as well as support for their wider families. Relying almost entirely on donations, the hospice has inspired more than 50 children's hospices across the UK and beyond and continues to be there for families across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley at the hardest moments of their lives. Its patron is Queen Camilla


4. The Smallpeice Trust has been sparking young people's passion for engineering and technology for over 60 years. Working with around 1,000 schools each year and reaching more than 50,000 students through hands-on STEM activities, the Trust is committed to making sure that every young person, regardless of their background, has the chance to discover what they are capable of. Its flagship Arkwright Engineering Scholarships, running since 1991, have awarded over 8,000 scholarships to high-calibre students across the UK


5. Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity provides specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children living with complex, lifelong conditions. With over 250 Roald Dahl Nurse Specialists working across the UK in partnership with more than 85 NHS Trusts, the charity supports over 50,000 seriously ill children and young people, ensuring that no family has to face a devastating diagnosis alone.

The five regional partners join CarFest's established national charity family. BBC Children in Need receives 50% of the total funds raised, with Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, Rainbow Trust Children's Charity, Starlight Children's Foundation, Teenage Cancer Trust and Young Epilepsy each receiving 7%. The addition of the five new charities, each receiving 2%, will leave a further five per cent for other good causes.

Chris Evans adds: “By coming to CarFest every single person is making a difference and helping our charity partners. Ten per cent of the face value of every ticket sold goes directly into the fundraising pot, plus all profits from the event. That means every ticket purchased this August Bank Holiday is not just a great weekend for every visitor, but a direct contribution to the charities that need it most. Come for the supercars, the superstars, the food and the fun. Leave having made a huge difference.”

CarFest at Silverstone this August Bank Holiday promises to be the biggest edition of the family fundraising festival yet, bringing together seven festival experiences in one iconic location: Cars at CarFest, KidsFest, FoodFest, RetroFest, SpaFest, StarFest and a packed music programme featuring headline acts including Tom Jones, Jessie J, Nile Rodgers and CHIC, Rick Astley, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Proclaimers, Sugababes and Gabrielle, alongside an incredible supporting lineup across Club CarFest and the Wigwam Stage. CarFest presented by bp takes place at Silverstone, Towcester, Northampton, 28 to 30 August 2026. Tickets are available at carfest.org