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Published:
May 3, 2006
Future of Burnham's threatened carnival
brighter after public meeting
The
future of Burnham-On-Sea's threatened carnival looks a lot brighter
after more than 150 supporters packed a public meeting on Wednesday
evening (May 3rd) to offer their help to keep the annual event
running.
 There
was standing room only at the town's Ritz Social Club as local
residents and supporters filled the venue to hear Carnival Chairman
Mike Young address the crowd (as pictured above). He
vowed: "The Carnival in Burnham cannot die."
He
outlined the problems that the event is facing with a lack of
marshalls and people to help with physical tasks such as putting
up crowd barriers, distributing signs and parking cones, and overseeing
disabled parking areas.
Mr
Young added:
"Last year, the physical work was left to just four people.
They had a huge amount of work to deal with. We only got there
by the skin of our teeth and if we are to guarantee the public's
safety, we must have more volunteers."
Dozens
of volunteer forms were distributed to the audience for them to
provide personal details and specify how they could help. At the
end of the meeting, the forms were handed back in - much to the
delight of committee members (as pictured below).
 The
chairman told the audience: "I'm delighted to see such support
here tonight. I am almost overwhelmed by it. It's superb that
such a large amount of people have come along."
"If
this translates into physical help, we're back on the road. I've
received many telephone calls from people who have came forward
over the last few days to offer their help so if we add them to
tonight's support, I think we shall be OK."
Earlier
in the meeting, one local resident asked whether less money could
be handed to local charities and more funds directed towards funding
marshalls instead, but Mr Young replied: "I don't want to
tap into the amount of money raised for charity."
Another
resident, David Hall, told the audience: "The carnival is
fantastic for the town. To lose it would be so detrimental. It's
such a spectacular event; it cannot die."
 Burnham
and Highbridge Carnival Committee will meet again over the next
few days to make the final decision on the event's future.
Speaking
to Burnham-On-Sea.com after the event, committee member Malcolm
Borland (who is pictured right during a TV interview about the
carnival) said: "I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged
to see the amount of people here tonight."
"It
all looks pretty positive now."
RELATED
LINK:
Decision
day arrives for Burnham's threatened carnival
Carnival's
future 'under threat' says chairman
Carnival
gives cash boost to local charities
Burnham-On-Sea
Carnival Guide
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