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The planned “Community” wellness festival, which is the work of comedian and actor Russell Brand, has been postponed due to inclement weather and public outcry.

Russell Brand’s wellness-themed ‘Community’ festival has been cancelled amid declining ticket sales and rising demand for refunds, following the comedian’s recent rape charge. Brand, 49, was formally charged by the Metropolitan Police in May with multiple offences, including a charge of rape, indecent assault, and controlling or coercive behaviour. The alleged incidents involve four women and span from 1999 to 2005, during a period when Brand was active on television, radio, and in film.

On May 3, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard the allegations. Brand spoke only to confirm his name, birthdate, address, and bail conditions. He previously refuted all claims, claiming that he had never been a rapist and that all of his previous relationships were consensual. The festival, which was scheduled for July, was scheduled to last three days and feature performances by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, massage, meditation, and live music. Laura Gallacher, the wife of Brand, was also scheduled to address the gathering.

The festival, which Brand had previously referred to as “about personal awakening and social change,” was a result of his recent shift toward wellness and spiritual reflection. According to his website, it was a gathering for “camping, discussion on spirituality, wellness, healthy living, and our environment.”

Brand urged attendees to think about eco-friendly travel in a sustainability message, noting that “audience travel typically accounts for the most carbon footprint of an event.” Please take into account alternative modes of transportation that use less carbon: bus, coach, or public transportation.

The cancellation has not been formally addressed by Brand. However, ticket sales have been halted, and a message on ticketing platform The Ticket Sellers confirms: “Please note: this event has now been cancelled, more detail may be contained in the event text below. If you have purchased tickets for this event, then please contact us on 0121 472 6688 or email refunds@TheTicketSellers.co.uk.”

As part of Brand’s rebranding as a wellness advocate and spiritual commentator, the festival came after a comparable event that took place in Hay-on-Wye in 2023.

The criminal case includes four separate allegations. One woman alleges she was raped by Brand in a hotel room during a Labour Party conference in 1999. According to court testimony, the assault occurred after the woman returned from the bathroom and was pushed onto a bed.

In 2001, a second woman claimed Brand attempted to drag her into a TV studio men’s toilet after he grabbed her forearm and punched her.

A television worker Brand, who he met in Soho in 2004, claims he forced her to have oral sex and groped her breasts.

The fourth allegation involves a woman who worked at a radio station while Brand was presenting Big Brother’s Big Mouth. She alleges that he grabbed her face, kissed her, and groped her.

The allegations first came to light in September 2023, following a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches. In response, Brand posted a video denying the claims and said he welcomed the chance to prove his innocence.

If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999

Prince Harry has made a surprise solo appearance in China after travelling on an unannounced trip to Shanghai. The Duke of Sussex has attended a global travel and tourism conference in the city, where he gave a keynote speech urging the travel industry to support sustainable travel and tourism and shared climate goals.

The trip is in his role as co-founder of Travalyst, an organisation promoting sustainable travel. His appearance in China came just as his estranged father King Charles was due to arrive in Canada for a historic visit, which has been dubbed a a sign of strength and support for the country amid a war of words with Donald Trump.

The royal couple are due to land in Ottawa this evening marking the first time that Charles has been on Canadian soil since he became King and head of state of the country. Tomorrow he will attend the country’s state opening of parliament.

It is the first time that Harry has visited China. Prince William has visited the country in the past travelling there in 2015 for the first royal visit to China in 30 years. The King has never visited the country.

During his address to the Envision 2025 Global Partner Conference today, Harry told the travel industry it needed to work together to achieve climate change targets before the 2030 deadline. He also added that the Asia-Pacific region is “strongly positioned to do this”.

Speaking at the conference, he said: “Climate change isn’t just an environmental challenge – it’s a critical business emergency, costing the global economy $143 billion dollars annually.

“Now is the moment for the industry to reaffirm its commitment to being a force for good. Challenges will undoubtedly rise, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that meaningful change never comes easily. The true measure of our commitment is how we respond when the path becomes difficult. We must never give up.”

Harry’s trip comes following reports that Harry will be launching his own commercial venture in the next few months and the same time as concentrating on his Invictus Games Foundation – and it will be one of the first tasks for the Sussex’s newly formed team of advisors.

In recent months, Meghan has basked in the limelight launching her lifestyle brand As Ever and Netflix show With Love, Meghan after the couple appear to have decided to pursue different career paths.

A source told the Mail On Sunday: “Harry is unkindly described as the ‘spare’ to Meghan’s endeavours. In reality, he has been giving her the space to flourish. Now it is his time to throw himself into exciting new work. Invictus will always come first, but he has also been working on commercial ideas of his own.” The Mirror has contacted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s representatives for comment.

News of Harry’s commercial venture comes after it was revealed he left a charity “completely gobsmacked” with an unexpected move that follows in the footsteps of his wife, Meghan.

It emerged that the Duke of Sussex has thanked a community project based in Nottingham by making a ‘significant’ donation to help fund its services. The charity, Himmah, says the undisclosed sum will fund more than 650 much-needed food parcels for vulnerable families in the city.

Harry’s donation comes four years after the Duchess of Sussex donated £10,000 with funds from The Royal Foundation for the charity to purchase equipment and fund the Salaam Shalom Kitchen, a joint Muslim and Jewish community project offering hot meals and groceries.