Summer 2020

To apply for a stall for Christmas, please visit www.boldmere.org/stalls

To request to perform at our Christmas festival, please visit www.boldmere.org/perform

If you would like to volunteer for any of our future festivals, please visit www.boldmere.org/volunteer

PRESS RELEASE STARTS

Boldmere has been home to a thriving Summer Community Festival for several years. The Boldmere Futures Partnership (BFP), as organisers of the annual event, have reviewed the situation given the global COVID-19 outbreak and reluctantly decided that it would not be possible for the Summer Festival to run this year.

The decision not to run the Summer Festival was not taken lightly and has been the subject of a detailed risk assessment and intense discussion within BFP and with other local bodies over the last week.  Event Director, Paul Long said “we have been closely following all the advice issued by the government, including its medical and science advisors. Although large outdoor gatherings had not been restricted at the time of our decision, the peak of the outbreak is expected to be in around 9-13 weeks, just at the time of the festival.  We rely very heavily on a team of volunteers both on the day and in the run up to the festival.  I'm concerned that several volunteers could put in a lot of effort into organising an event that won't be allowed to happen.  The risk of not having sufficient volunteers on the day or indeed sufficient security and first aid provision due to self-isolation is significant.  We also have a responsibility to local services, such as the Police and St John Ambulance who usually have a presence at our events and whose services may be crucial elsewhere.  The individual advice we took from the Director of Public Health Birmingham has reinforced our risk assessments.  Financially, our cancellation insurance does not cover cancellation in the event of national public health directives and so while the impact of cancelling this event will be small, the financial impact of not cancelling at this early stage would put future events in jeopardy.  I’d like to make it clear that this is not an impulsive decision and we have been discussing the situation for over a week now.  The situation is rapidly changing and is unprecedented.  Although there may be relief from restrictions on social distancing by June, we are cancelling to minimise the financial risks of being compelled to cancel the event at a later stage and to minimise the risks of volunteer and personnel shortages on the day of the event that could have an impact on public safety. ”

Pippa Goode, Chair of BFP said that “it is incredibly disappointing that we have had to take the decision not to hold the Summer Festival this year. We felt it really important that we do not put our wonderful volunteers, stallholders and of course all those coming along at risk.  We know this will be a disappointment to hundreds of people, but hope everyone can understand our reasons.”

There has already been a significant amount of preparation and in addition to Boldmere’s own shops and businesses, a good number of stalls, food vendors and musicians had been booked. Rosemary Quickenden, who coordinates the stall bookings, said “we wanted to make a clear decision, within a sensible timeframe, to enable all the businesses and people involved to be able to adjust their plans accordingly. We have a good number of regulars who we will miss this Summer, but who we hope to see at Christmas and next Summer."

BFP hope that all those who would like to have attended the Boldmere Summer Festival will understand the rationale for making this decision now. Claire Wright, Treasurer of the BFP said, “we know this is an event that the community looks forward to, and it wasn’t an easy decision to make. BFP exists to provide benefit to the local community and so we are doubly keen to find additional ways to do this as well as putting in extra effort for the Christmas Festival, which we hope will run as usual, without the cloud of COVID-19.”

The Boldmere Community Summer Festival, which had been scheduled for 7th June, will not take place, but BFP has already started work on plans for the Christmas Festival, including light switch-on, which will be on 22nd November from 1pm to 6pm.

PRESS RELEASE ENDS

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