Popular gala in doubt as committee pleads for new members
ISLEHAM’S popular gala festival could be scrapped next year due to a sudden rash of resignations.
Just months after June’s three day festival event, which was attended by thousands of people, five of the organising committee announced that they were to quit their posts.
Unless sufficient replacements can be found, the festival’s chairman fears the 2011 may have been the gala’s last.
“Unless we can get people to fill these posts we won’t be able to run the event next year,” said Fred Preece. “I put an appeal out locally in July but so far no-one had pledged their support.”
The gala event, which features floats, bands, novelty races, dance acts, competitions, performances and stalls is held annually on the village’s recreation ground and has raised thousands of pounds for good causes.
This year event saw an Isleham’s Got Talent event – watched by more than 200 locals, and a gala ball, which itself raised more than �3,500 for good causes.
“We have an AGM coming up in October and that will be the crunch time,” said Mr Preece. “If nobody comes forward I just don’t think we will be able to go on.
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“It was a little bit of a shock that five people resigned, there were certainly some I wasn’t expecting.”
Mr Preece said that many of the committee members who resigned were able to help transport large equipment to Isleham for the event and also provided the committee with trailers for storage.
Many similar events across East Cambridgeshire have also experienced difficulty in recent months, with both the Fordham Festival and Littleport Show forced to cancel owing to lack of support.
If you would like to help out with the Isleham Gala you can contact Mr Preece on 01638 780734 or email fpreece2@aol.com.
