THE survival of Weymouth Carnival could depend on members of the public giving as little as £1 to support it.

The organisers have launched a Crowdfunder page and are urging the public to make donations via the website.

Ryan Hope, chairman of trustees, wants the people of Weymouth to show their support for their carnival.

He said: “It’s basically the opportunity for everyone to give a pound - this is not the businesses’ carnival, this is not the council’s carnival, this isn’t even Ryan Hope’s carnival, this is the community of Weymouth’s carnival and they all need to get behind it.”

The Crowdfunder page needs to raise £18,000 by May 12. This is on top of the £10,000 which must be raised through business sponsorship by the end of this month.

The way in which the Crowdfunder website works is the appeal must get all of the target total of £18,000 or they receive none of it, and people keep their money.

Despite the high figure, Mr Hope deemed it to be necessary.

He said: “That’s the target we need to run Weymouth Carnival. If we don’t get that money by that date, we are pulling the plug. This event can’t run the way it has.”

The targets may seem optimistic but if every visitor gave just £1, the carnival would be funded comfortably.

Mr Hope said: “Each year we have between 60,000 and 100,000 visitors. If every one of those people would give a pound the cost of £60,000 would be met and we’d have £40,000 to give to charity.”

There are more pressing targets though with £10,000 needed by the end of March alone and only a handful of Weymouth businesses have supported it to date.

Weyline Taxis have pledged £1,000 to get behind the carnival as have Active Mobility whilst both King Edwards Fish and Chips and Sea Chef have pledged £500 towards the cause.

The carnival team have now also secured permission for a town centre bucket collection in Weymouth on Easter Saturday to get more support for the event.

Mr Hope wanted to make one last appeal to the public to get them donating.

He said: “It needs everyone in the community to support it. Just one pound will make this event happen.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the carnival can go to: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/weymouth-carnival-1

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