The future of Frome Carnival in jeopardy

For many years the residents of Frome have enjoyed the spectacle of the September carnival but next year’s event is under threat because of lack of  volunteers.

This year’s carnival looks set to be another great event, but there is a problem looming that threatens the future existence of the whole event. Carnival trustee Quintyn Howard-Evans explains, “As you can imagine, putting on an event the size of the Frome Carnival is a huge undertaking and one thing that may not be clear is that the carnival is largely self-funding. That is to say that the majority of the expenditure needed for insurance, marshals, safety equipment, prize money etc. is raised by the carnival volunteers throughout the year at a variety of events.

“The event costs in excess of £8,000 to run, so fundraising is both demanding and crucial. However, the outstanding work done by the fundraisers means that as much as possible of the money donated by the spectators on the night can go directly into the charity fund. Fundraising throughout the year takes time and effort, but above all, people. The children’s carnival and the evening processions require a lot of input to run smoothly and safely, and this requires dedication, time and energy from the relatively few people involved.

“The problem we have is that there are just not enough volunteers. I am sure the committee and volunteers will not mind me saying that one or two are getting on a bit, and we need some new lifeblood, fresh minds and strong arms to take us into the next phase of the carnival.

“This year’s carnival is going to take place, but at the moment the 2017 event is far from certain. A decision will be made by January of next year. So, there is still plenty of time for people to come forward and get involved. You really don’t need to have any special skills, carnival is open to everyone of any age and ability. You don’t need to be committed full time – everyone has a busy life. Just come along and have a go and do what you can. Aside from the loss of such a fantastic annual event, the loss of a fund that helps local residents could be devastating.

“Over the past few years, the trustees have helped young, single mums with small children, families struggling with debt and disability, groups that have taken people away for much-needed respite and much, much more. We have provided essentials for families that are really struggling to get by. For example, it may surprise people to know that in many cases where social housing is allocated it comes with no flooring, white goods, cookers or indeed any form of furniture. For people on very low incomes, having nothing to cook on, wash clothes in or for storing food makes life exceptionally difficult. The money donated on the day of the carnival has helped provide local people with some of the basic essentials.

“I’m pleased to say that we have some really good local firms that we use and they are generous with their time and discounts. Indeed, as a town we are exceptionally generous, I genuinely hope we can continue to be so as it is another example of what makes this town special.”

If you would like to learn more about becoming involved in Frome Carnival, please contact June Barnes on 01373 461625.