Can we keep the Festival going?
To explain,I started the festival because a gap was identified at a Community Hall committee meeting and I was asked to “see what you can do”. Since then the festival has been supported for the past eight years on a pro bono basis, by my marketing business, including my colleague Sue Warne and my partner Lesley Whiteman who have worked hard on the website, social media and creative/admin to deal with databases, newsletters, posters and banners etc.
In that time the Festival has resulted in a number of spinoffs and boosted other activities. Plus of course we have had the continuing support of Shefford Newsline and LivingLife magazines – without these people and publications the Festival would not have been possible – may I take this opportunity to say thank you. In recent years we have also been supported by community minded sponsors, but this has gone only a small way to covering the cost of running the festival – thank you also.
Unfortunately I now have to close my marketing business, which means I no longer have to hand either the money or the people needed to continue the Festival, and raises the question of how to move the Festival forward, indeed whether to do so at all?
There is clearly a resource gap of people and/or money which I don’t have, but may be available elsewhere in Shefford?
To put this in context I have also had a number of conversations recently with people who have suggested a wider “town association” arrangement of all the town stakeholders as a proactive forum for community events generally in support of the council, and maybe this might find a connection with the community festival?
For information I would normally start planning the festival for next year in January so I would welcome any ideas. Please contact me here [email protected] or on 07860 218334
I recently received photos from Sunday’s community lunch at the Baptist Church with the following note from Erica Bowler “Unfortunately, we were having far too much fun with the activities at Messy Church and completely forgot to get any photos from that! But it was wonderful chaotic and thought-provoking fun, with 43 people present.”
Saturday saw a wealth of highlights – Scarecrows, Community Market and a Flower Festival to feast your eyes on. My personal favourite was “Shefford in the Past” a rolling drop in film show with material on the pram races, the floods, and the raft races, also an extensive town centre market. Street demonstrations featured, and did I mention the floods?
Sunday – Garage Sale Trail – a mega fave obviously, and not just because my partner Lesley runs it or that we had a garage sale village parked on our front verge, but because there were so many excellent and busy stalls. More excellent were the Scarecrows and the Stag Walkers group who met in the Town Meadow car park and headed out for Stamford and Summerhill by way of the Navigation river section,
Tuesday – more Rambling, and Art Society group and two sets of young athletes – the Black Ice Academy Cheer and the Shefford Majorettes who welcomed 5 new girls to try out baton and ribbon twirling and Pom Pom skills. Meanwhile The Greenspace Conservation Group were hard at work in Bellcote Meadow. Later the WI and Nicola Burr filled the Community Hall with a well attended talk on Bess of Hardwick and Plastic Free Shefford.
Friday – BEST House was host to a guided practice session with Mindfulness coach Will George, while at the STMA Self Help artists were happily working away on their drawing and painting with Carole Wilkinson. Our weekly Friday Farmers Market goes from strength to strength and create a welcome feature in the town centre.
Saturday started for me with another personal favourite – the Art Exhibition in the Community Hall where lots of excellent works were on display, while across the road Neville Funerals team were Talking (about) Elephants in their bereavement support group. Then in the evening the town was entertained by Sloop Groggy Dogs Sea Shanty group – another success!
