Fight to save Weymouth Carnival

8:42am Tuesday 26th February 2013 in News

CALL FOR HELP: Ryan Hope and Diane Moore CALL FOR HELP: Ryan Hope and Diane Moore

WEYMOUTH Carnival may have to be cancelled this year if organisers can’t raise enough money in time.

The warning shot comes from new independent organisers of the summer extravaganza who have been hit with extra costs.

Fresh faces volunteered to take over after local Rotary clubs, which came to the rescue of the carnival in 2010, stepped down after three years of organising it.

The newly-established Weymouth Carnival and Events Club led by Ryan Hope is finding that without a big umbrella organisation to back it like Rotary there are additional pressures when starting from scratch such as securing insurance cover for the motorised procession.

The club has set itself a target of raising £10,000 in sponsorship in the next six to eight weeks to get things off the ground but will pull the plug if the support isn’t there from locals.

When volunteers from the community last organised it they ditched the floats from the parade because the insurance premiums were too high.

Mr Hope said he wanted the floats as well as having attractions like the Red Arrows and the Red Devils but it all costs money. He said if the carnival’s 55-year tradition were to continue, the town would have to get behind it.

Mr Hope and his committee will be asking big companies to sponsor events but he also wants to target the hotels, food and holiday businesses and other town centre firms which do good business on carnival day.

Committee members are going out and knocking on doors trying to drum up support, emphasising that it’s a big money-spinner for the town as well as one of the biggest charity carnivals in the south and should be supported. Firms can sign up for sponsorship packages.

Last year’s event was looking like a washout but the sun came out later for the main attractions and the inclusion of a victory parade by Team GB’s sailing squad ahead of the procession drew the crowds.

The event was also without the popular Red Arrows. Organisers have applied for a display this year, and the Reds’ programme will be announced soon.

Mr Hope said: “The carnival is a big day for the town and is expected to raise thousands of pounds – but it also helps businesses by boosting tourism and trade.

“As well as the usual costs that we face every year in order to make the day happen we are also faced with the added costs of insurances, licenses and permits that have previously been covered by an umbrella organisation such as Round Table and Rotary when they ran the event.

“We are now looking to the town to support the event. Without the support from businesses the carnival won’t be able to take place and I feel, as do others, that would be a great shame.”

 

Sponsorship drive

If things go to plan, Weymouth Carnival will take place this year on Wednesday, August 21.

Weymouth Carnival and Events Club has produced sponsorship packages for businesses starting from £100 and going up to big sums for events including the Red Arrows (£10,000), grand draw (£8,000) and fireworks (£5,000).

If you are interested in any of the packages, or would just like to make a donation to Weymouth Carnival and Events Club or find out more contact sponsorship coordinator Diane Moore by e-mail at weymouthcarnivalsponsorship@gmail.com

People interested in supporting this year's carnival can also contact Ryan Hope on 07795 246080 or email ryanhope1991@googlemail.com Alternatively search for Weymouth Carnival on Facebook.

Comments(25)

stench says...
9:52am Tue 26 Feb 13

I'd be happy for 'my tax money' to contribute to this...

I'm sure that will upset some ;)

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bobby1966 says...
11:03am Tue 26 Feb 13

what makes me laugh is the people who profit from this ie the hotels and bed and breakfast ,shops on the seafront wont contribute a penny. theyshouldlook at the bigger picture ,they prob make a few thousand on carninval day so why not contribute a few hundred pound to the cause or the carnival wont run and they will not make anything ......

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Springinstep says...
11:15am Tue 26 Feb 13

Did the outgoing rotary, who only took it back because they thought they would make money and get fame from 2012 hand over any money to the new group? If not why not? They new it was going to continue.....
The volunteers that ran it for two years managed to cope financially why can't anyone else? Yes they stopped the floats but surely that's better than losing the whole carnival???

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Wandsworth Magpie says...
12:29pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Blimey, is it that time of year again? It comes round so quickly....

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annotator1 says...
2:43pm Tue 26 Feb 13

As we the public offer our services for free, surely the volunteers offer their services for free and ALL of the proceeds go to charity. Or am I mistaken and there is corruption here as well?

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Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
3:32pm Tue 26 Feb 13

100 x 100 = 10,000

All it needs is 100 businesses to put their hand in their pockets and donate £100.

Out of all the shops, restaurants, hotels, B&B's in Weymouth, surely finding 100 would not be too difficult?

I run a retail business (not in Weymouth) and if someone offered to send 100,000 people to my town, I would offer them £200 (and would happily pay £500).

If the local business community cannot get £10,000 together to organise the carnival, they should take a long hard look at why they are in business.

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Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
3:41pm Tue 26 Feb 13

In fact, if any of the B&B's along the seafront do not donate £100, huge screens should be put up in front of their property so that residents cannot watch the carnival.

The screens should have signs on them that say "Happy to take your money, not happy to support the community".

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bedpans says...
3:57pm Tue 26 Feb 13

I am a little concerned why this new committee have only just started loking for sponsors to raise 10k? Have they not been formed for some time now? Surely they should have been in communication with local businesses as soon as the committee was formed?

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Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
4:27pm Tue 26 Feb 13

To be fair to them, a lot of the business along the seafront is seasonal, so many will be closed and unless the owner puts a contact number on the front of the building....now Easter is not too far away, they will be starting to wake from their hibernation and thinking about the summer season.

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I'mavoter says...
6:01pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Is it me or is everything rubbish? wrote:
In fact, if any of the B&B's along the seafront do not donate £100, huge screens should be put up in front of their property so that residents cannot watch the carnival.

The screens should have signs on them that say "Happy to take your money, not happy to support the community".
Why are you having a go at the hotels and B&Bs? How many people that come to see the carnival procession actually stop in a hotel ? Seems to me your scathing attack ought to be more directed at those who really do profit from the carnival procession day, ie. the stall holders along the esplanade, the bars, cafes, and shops, the fun fair traders etc. not so easy to get hold of them though is it !

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JamesYoung says...
8:01pm Tue 26 Feb 13

stench wrote:
I'd be happy for 'my tax money' to contribute to this... I'm sure that will upset some ;)
Not me, i'm completely with you. This is a worthwhile exercise in PR for the town.

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jusphil says...
8:25am Wed 27 Feb 13

Nail, Coffin, Weymouth.
Thats all folks

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CllrRyanHope says...
1:16pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Thank You All For Your Comments,

I feel I must answer a few of them,

You've asked why we have only just started to look for this now.

It takes time to form a new community structure, we have had to submit to become a CIO and form back accounts and source insurance (which wasn’t easy)

We also had to research the cost of the attractions we wanted and build a sponsorship package around this as we aim to cover nearly all cost from sponsorship to make sure the money raised goes to charity and not to pay the bills,

We understand that times are tough for the local business how ever this event dose bring tourism & trade to are town whilst raising money for charities,

The day cost in the area of £50,000 to run which many people don’t know

Business have now started to be contacted and given sponsorship packages to look over,

Money has started to come in and the £10,000 is a realistic target for the team to find,

If anyone is infested in donating or helping please contact me.

Regards

Ryan Hope

President of Weymouth Carnival & Events Club

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iampuzzled says...
1:22pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Ryan Hope says "If anyone is infested in donating".
I never knew it was a disease.

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CllrRyanHope says...
1:57pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Apologies, * Interested in donating,

I am currently looking for a Proof reader on the committee if your interested

Kindest Regards

Ryan

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-Wingl- says...
3:03pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Hope & moore... Moore & hope...quite apt really. ;o)

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bedpans says...
5:09pm Wed 27 Feb 13

I do not want this to sound rude, as I am sure this young man is trying his best , but to post a comment on this page with such poor punctuation and spelling is nothing short of embarrassing. I really wish him the best of luck as its a big job to take on, but from what I have read so far, im very worried about this years event. I hope I am wrong, and I will be donating money to help the cause.

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guapisimoboy says...
5:41pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Your own punctuation isn´t too hot, bedpans. I counted four errors in your post!

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bedpans says...
6:19pm Wed 27 Feb 13

guapisimoboy wrote:
Your own punctuation isn´t too hot, bedpans. I counted four errors in your post!
Im not organising Weymouth's biggest event of the year.

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JamesYoung says...
7:44pm Wed 27 Feb 13

bedpans wrote:
guapisimoboy wrote:
Your own punctuation isn´t too hot, bedpans. I counted four errors in your post!
Im not organising Weymouth's biggest event of the year.
Don't knock Ryan. I've never met him but I've followed his story in the Echo over the last five or six years. Of all the people on the council, he is the person who deserves to be there the most. Search the Echo website and you'll see for yourself. I wish him all the best in this venture, he doesn't deserve criticism for a first attempt at a job that older more experienced councillors have managed to mess up so spectacularly.

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Crabber says...
9:57pm Wed 27 Feb 13

bedpans wrote:
guapisimoboy wrote:
Your own punctuation isn´t too hot, bedpans. I counted four errors in your post!
Im not organising Weymouth's biggest event of the year.
A Bl**dy good job as you seem to be a bit of a K**b really. My question is Why did the last organisers / committee not keep £50K back to fund the cost of this years Carnival? Seems to me like good business. Apologies in advance if the School Marm Brigade are making this but my excuse is I really don't give a Flying F**K

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EtaoinShrdlu says...
12:01am Sat 2 Mar 13

Marvellous idea: Why not print a newspaper modelled on t'Echo full of stories like "Woman Falls Over In Street" or "Dog Bites Man in Bridport" and exchange for donations. This could raise a lot of money. Good opportunity to use the words "horrendous" and "horror". Or has this already been done?

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EtaoinShrdlu says...
1:32am Mon 4 Mar 13

Jeez . . . t'Echo knows how to set up a photo, grim-faced people, rusty razor wire in the background. 10/10 for composition to the photographer.

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scouer says...
10:08pm Wed 6 Mar 13

yer the council wanna sort it themselves idiots that they are an your write about the echo painting a picture had enough of the s..t hole town cancel the carnival

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IDONTKNOWIFITISTRRUE says...
1:46pm Thu 7 Mar 13

scouer says...
yer the council wanna sort it themselves idiots that they are an your write about the echo painting a picture had enough of the s..t hole town cancel the carnival

I wonder what this illiterate person means, can't spell, seems never to have been taught grammar or punctuation.

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