Save the Carnival

Earlier this year we discovered that the Council was planning to close down the Hayes Carnival and transfer its funding to support an autumn festival in Uxbridge. Like me, many local people were furious at this attempt to put an end to our local carnival, which has been a central part of our community life for over 80 years. The council did not consult us or even notify us of its intentions.

I launched a campaign to save the carnival and convened a series of meetings with local community groups, which normally participate in the carnival and its parade. People’s suspicions were aroused last year when, without consultation ,the Council refused to have any evening entertainment at the carnival and also cancelled the traditional firework display.

Our campaign to save the carnival has been successful and the Council has now backtracked. The carnival will go ahead this year. However all the arrangements for organising the participation of local community groups in the parade and the community stalls in the park have been so delayed that few groups have registered with the council to take part.

Many of us fear that this will be used as an excuse by the Council to kill off the carnival.

We have set up a community carnival committee to assist in organising the carnival for future years but we need participants for this year. I am urging local groups to register with the council to walk in the carnival procession. Also when the carnival passes people watching the parade I am asking local people to hold up a poster saying “Save our Carnival” and then to follow the carnival parade on the pavement to the park.

In this way we can show the council that we want the carnival to continue and we will not let it be closed down.

Contact me if you want any further information on this campaign.

submitted by John on 27 Jun 2008 at 21:05