Doubts over carnival day (From Free Press Series)

Doubts over carnival day

DESPITE a good attendance at last weekend's Monmouth carnival, the future of the event has been thrown into doubt after a group of volunteers behind the event stepped down. There was speculation over the weekend that the popular parade and funfair may not happen next year after it was announced Monmouth Carnival Committee resigned en masse. Despite repeated efforts, the committee say they have struggled to increase member numbers, leaving just six volunteers the mammoth task of carrying out all the preparation work for the event. The carnival, which regularly pulls in a crowd of 3,000 people, is also plagued with problems over insurance cover, increasing the cost and administrative commitments of the event. David Evans, acting chairman of the carnival committee, said members were stepping down due to other commitments. He said: "I suspect that unless a lot of people come forward, it will not continue in its present form. We have spent at least four or five years trying to get a bigger committee. There are six on the committee and a lot are in their 60s. "We have struggled to try and increase that number and to get younger people involved. We had new members last year, but it is not enough to push it forward." Earlier this year the future of the carnival was thrown into doubt when organisers feared the huge floats may not be able to enter Chippenham Mead Village Green. However, alterations to the gateway by the county council resolved the problem. Mr Evans added: "There is no lack of public support, but there is a lack of people coming forward who would be prepared to take on the organisation. We cannot have the event without the organisation." Monmouth Carnival Committee say they are finding the cost of public liability insurance for the event expensive. High insurance quotations for lorries taking part in the carnival are also prohibitive and float designers experienced reluctance from transport companies to make transport available for the event. Mr Evans said: "We pay nearly £200 for public liability cover and raising £200 in voluntary subscriptions is not easy. It cost £5,000 for this one day event, if it were not for the assistance of the town and county council, and business community, it could not be sustained."