VOLUNTEERS AND HELPERS WANTED - for Crawley Irish Festival
The Irish Festival has always been recognised as a great day for Crawley attracting between six and seven thousand people to Southgate Playing Fields for the one day event. As it enters it's 14th year its future is now at a critical stage; and with the economic downturn and a shortfall in funding the The Celtic & Irish Cultural Society (CICS) www.celtic-irish.co.uk are looking for extra volunteers and committee members to help out, otherwise the festival may have to be cancelled.
In the past the festival's budget allowed for specialist stewarding but with a deficit from local businesses and local authority grants this will not be possible. So the organisers are looking at sourcing extra volunteer support. Working from a pool of 150 in number will give ample flexibility for all and give a maximum of 4 hours on duty during the 7 hour event.
The event is famous for showcasing some of the best musical talent from Britain and Ireland on three live entertainment stages, showing modern, traditional Irish music and open dance competitions. It focuses heavily on the younger element of the community with a special children's entertainment marquee involving games, song and story with particular emphasis on Irish traditions and folklore. In addition, sport and cultural identity are each featured prominently with GAA sports, ceili marquee, tug-o-war, a funfair, various food and craft stalls and displays with the added attraction of a licensed beer tent and Gaelic sports on the big TV screen.
The festival may have to be cancelled unless extra volunteers come on board to help. Even though the organisers see this as a massive task there is no alternative but to look to the voluntary sector. Various meeting are being planned to attract extra help as they are determined to make the festival happen.
There are serious concerns about being able to meet the Health & Safety requirements and conditions of licence without the necessary volunteer support to attend to car parking duties, crowd and traffic control, taking care of guests and performers, selling raffle tickets and various other duties. Volunteers and helpers are also required on the days running up to the festival with putting up marquees, erecting stages, laying dance floors fencing and general helping out.
What the volunteers get out of it is the achievement of making the day a success in stewarding the event. The volunteers will be inducted and well managed and their roles alternated throughout the day so as to experience the atmosphere of the event. They will get well fed and catered for and have free admission to the festival dance on the evening. Overall they get the satisfaction that community engagement has been further advanced for the betterment of all in Crawley.
The CICS also want to build on extending the existing committee and look at filling roles such as management of volunteers, event management, community liaison, fundraising and development planning. If you are a good organiser, work well in a group or are good at 'hands on' work please make contact, for without this added help it will be difficult to continue with the festival and the town of Crawley and the South East will loose out on a fantastic Irish Cultural experience.
If you require any more information or feel you can help contact John Nolan on 01293 513189 or E-mail john.nolan@celtic-irish.co.uk