Breaking down barriers via reggae is the aim of the headline act at a new ska festival.

The inaugural White Cliffs Ska Reggae Festival in Dover this weekend is organised by Deborah Gasking, who is also the brains behind the town’s White Cliffs Blues festival.

Former nurse and live-music fan Deborah has the use of Dover Town Hall for her reggae fest on Saturday, February 14. It will be headlined by the group Channel One Sound System.

Members Mikey Dread and his brother Jah T began Channel One in homage to the legendary Bob Marley’s Jamaican record label.

Their hand-built customised speaker stacks provide a rich heavyweight bass, which compliments their tight selection of old and new dub reggae classics, all played on vinyl decks and accented with echos and sirens. MC Ras Kayleb compliments Mikey’s deep draws with Rastafarian chants and song.

Channel One Sound System’s mission is the same as it was when they started in 1979 – to break down barriers via reggae, and it’s taken them to Australia, Israel, Turkey, the USA, South America and now Dover.

Other acts on the day will include Hey Maggie, Hey Rudi and Onejah.

Deborah said: “The idea is to set up various festivals and, if successful, embed them into the town’s social calendar.”

Tickets for Saturday’s event, which starts at 1pm until 11pm, cost £15 and can be bought at several Dover venues, the town’s visitor information centre or via www.whitecliffsmusic.co.uk