Client Story: Jeremy Lewis and the Cheltenham Festivals

By Ally Oliver

 A conversation with client Jeremy Lewis with his Attivo Lifestyle Financial Planner was the start of Attivo’s partnership with Cheltenham Festivals.

A special kind of magic occurs in and around Cheltenham when the Music, Jazz, Science or Literature Festivals open their doors every year. Everyone – truly everyone – is welcome, many events are free, the team are on hand at all times to help – and accessible arts for all is one of the organisation’s mantras.

The Festivals don’t happen by magic. A part and full-time team of more than 50 works throughout the year to pull off these fantastic events, which run for 34 days a year. The Festivals bring crowds of all ages, some from across the globe, and this means all hands on deck for the 300+ volunteers who work alongside the part and full-timers.

An infectious enthusiasm for all things Cheltenham Festivals makes Attivo client Jeremy Lewis the perfect flag bearer for these world-leading events.  Jeremy moved to Cheltenham with his wife Hazel in 1996, and they stumbled by chance upon an event at Cheltenham Science Festival about 15 years ago. ‘That day, we watched the kids’ faces as they were transfixed by the experiments going on. It was incredible – many of these kids just didn’t get the opportunities children from wealthier backgrounds had. I was hooked; I wanted to get involved.

‘Fifteen years ago, I became a Life Patron of the Festivals. I decided I’ve got some money, and I want to do something useful with it. The Festival needs moral and financial support, and they need feet on the ground, which is why I volunteer. Everyone needs to understand that we’re a charity, and one of the key aims is to give children from a lower socio-economic background a better life.’

Jeremy was born one of six children and grew up in a council house in Worcestershire. ‘My father worked on the land, and when I was at school, my options were, “Do you want to drive a baler or a combine?” The idea of university just didn’t exist for us,’ he explains.

When he was 21, a chance conversation in a pub led to Jeremy being offered a job in sales. Working, at first, for the Yellow Pages, he became a consultant for a sales and marketing consultancy in London. ‘My friend and I bought the company when the owner died, and I became Director of International Sales, looking after our offices in 55 countries. At the age of 50, we sold it. I’ve never done a day’s work since!’

He credits his then Financial Adviser for helping him to retire ‘well’. ‘I was only 50, and I asked him “How the hell do I retire?” I had no idea. He taught me how to live in the now – don’t worry about yesterday, don’t panic about next year, take the long view.

You’d call it mindfulness today, and it was constructive. Later on in life when my original adviser retired, I was introduced to Ryan Wright of Attivo.

Attivo becomes a partner to Cheltenham Festivals

‘It takes a while to learn to trust someone new after you’ve had a long-term relationship with an adviser, but it was clear that Ryan knew what he was talking about. Of course, the subject of Cheltenham Festivals came up because it’s my passion – I suggested that Attivo become a sponsor.’

Attivo Chairman Stephen Harper was only too glad to help, and the company’s initial involvement came in 2022 with the sponsorship of an event at Cheltenham Literature Festival. Actor Stanley Tucci’s runaway success with his book Taste was celebrated with an appearance on stage to an audience of around 500 people.

Since then, Attivo has partnered with Cheltenham Jazz Festival for intimate client events with Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Gregory Porter, in 2024, a dinner and drinks reception with Jack Savoretti and lunch with Lulu. These events are always bespoke for Attivo’s clients and have proved a real success. However, there is a purpose to these events beyond just entertainment.

‘At the Jazz Festival event with Jack Savoretti, Stephen gave a speech to the Attivo guests, which was not just all about his company,’ says Jeremy. ‘He told them about the charity and the work it does in the community and encouraged them to become patrons. He has become a Director’s Circle Patron himself, and I’m proud that, as an organisation, we’ve inspired him so much that he is now an advocate for the charity.

‘The key message is that we’re not getting enough recognition that we are a charity. Only 40% of Cheltenham Festivals’ income is from ticket sales, and the rest has to be raised annually from sponsorship, donations, or people leaving us a legacy in their wills. We run significant events to pay for other very special events which run throughout the year. These are often aimed at children and young people, with others focused on the community, but all present the arts and science in new and exciting ways to pique their interest and get them involved.’

Attivo and the SEND support

In 2023, Jeremy approached Attivo’s Stephen Harper with a new proposal to support Cheltenham Music Festival’s Relaxed Concerts for Schools. The extraordinary event welcomes 150 children and their carers to Cheltenham Town Hall where the musicians share their instruments with the children, who can dance and sing along and generally just be themselves.

‘I told my adviser, Ryan, “My passion is to help support the Festivals, particularly special educational development needs schools. I have a brother with SEND and know how hard it is for him and his carers. So will you commit some money to the Relaxed Concert for Schools?” at the end of the day, I’m a salesman at heart!’

The pitch was and Attivo continue to sponsor the event, with volunteers from the team helping. Jeremy talks about his brother Cliff, who has learning and mobility issues. ‘It’s why I’m passionate about the Relaxed Concerts in the Music Festival – and why I always need to wear my sunglasses on those occasions – it’s so moving. It’s the highlight of my year’.

There are 32 volunteer days a year across the four Festivals, where Jeremy gets to wear his much-loved pink volunteer t-shirt. Seeing him in action behind the scenes at the Relaxed Concert for Schools and at ease among the big ‘names’ in the green room at the Literature Festival makes it clear how highly regarded Jeremy is among the Festivals team.

Jeremy tells me about his childhood, when money was scarce, and the opportunities to play an instrument were limited. ‘We worked in a farming community. It wasn’t until about 15 years ago I picked up the saxophone and took some lessons. Musicians always

inspire me, and that’s why it’s so great when we have the Music Festival. We had 650 schoolchildren at one event and afterwards, we had instruments they could have a go at. These kids try the violin, trumpet or drums – and I think that inspires change.

‘When people ask what the Cheltenham Festivals does for the community, I say that, among other things, the Festivals spark curiosity amongst kids and adults alike. Over 30,000 children a year are involved in the festivals, and sparking curiosity is what inspires change.’

Attivo is proud to play a part in such a thriving cultural hub, and Jeremy says, ‘Attivo has provided confidence in my financial future. And I must say, my loyalty to the company has extended because they’re working with a charity I love.’