Andrew Kerr (festival co-founder)

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Andrew Kerr is one of the core group of early founders of the Glastonbury Festival, originally known as Glastonbury Fair in 1971, along with Michael Eavis and Arabella Churchill. He was inspired to put on a free festival after his experience at the commercial Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. His original motivation for staging a free festival was outlined in a leaflet published at the time :

“

Man is fast ruining his environment. He is suffering from the effects of pollution; from the neurosis brought about by a basically urban industrial society: from the lack of spirituality in his life. The aims are, therefore: the conservation of our natural resources; a respect for nature and life; and a spiritual awakening.

”

Kerr managed the festival site up to the mid eighties, helping establish it as arguably the UK's foremost music festival.

Kerr has led a varied and interesting life; brought up on a farm, he did his national service in the Navy, failed at advertising and was the personal and literary assistant to Randolph Churchill over ten years. Following the Glastonbury Festivals in 1992 he put on the Whole Earth Show in Dorset, promoting organic agriculture and sustainable technologies. BBC Radio 4 carried the first wind powered broadcast from the show, while Tibetan priests blessed the site and those present.

He has been a consistent advocate of the benefits of aerobic composting, and has spoken on TV and radio about composting and the potential of compost funerals.

Kerr lives in Somerset and is currently writing his autobiography, having been encouraged to do so for many years. He says "I am having a lot of fun writing about it'", and has asked to contact people who can contribute information / memories about his life. He has reached 1971, 65,000 words so far.