Worcestershire | Archive | 2004 | April | 15
From the archive, first published Thursday 15th Apr 2004.
THE annual gala day in Bidford is under threat after the Christmas lights committee announced it no longer wanted to organise the event.
Councillor Joy Keeley told Bidford parish council that the event, which features competitions, activities and prizes, made a disappointing profit of less than £1,000 last year.
"It was hard work for the amount of money that we raised," she said.
The committee has been organising events for the gala day on Big Meadow every August Bank Holiday Monday for the last five years.
Villagers had previously organised an annual carnival but in 1999 it looked as though the tradition was about to die.
The Christmas lights committee stepped in just six weeks before the event and organised a superb gala day to replace the carnival.
It has attracted crowds of 2,000 people and celebrities like former Brookside star Karen Drury to open the event, which featured It's A Knockout competitions, animal corner, wellie wanging, tug-of-war, go karting and glamorous granny and bonnie baby competitions.
Successful events have raised as much as £2,000 towards the £5,000 cost of the village's Christmas lights.
But the committee now believes gala day has gone stale and wants fresh blood to bring new life to the event.
The committee has stated that it would like to continue organising the annual duck race in Bidford in June.
The race, now a popular tradition in the village, features 1,000 plastics ducks racing down the river from the Bidford Bridge to the Frog and Bullrush pub to raise money for the Christmas lights.
What do you think? Can you help save the annual gala day? Send us your views.
Write to: Journal Series, Briar Close, Evesham, Worcestershire. WR11 4JT
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