Another successful Festival brings community together

AS WESTBURY Festival closes for another year, the town can look back on a fortnight of great events that helped to build a sense of community, bring live entertainment to the town, as well as promoting local clubs and societies.  

With numerous events across the fortnight, and many of them being free, there was something for everyone to enjoy from live music, demonstrations, history talks and shows. 

Ian Cunningham, chair of Westbury Festival said, “We have had a great festival. It’s not fair to pick out highlights as every event has had something special.

“As a committee, we are particularly pleased with the number of events that we have co-hosted with other groups. Co-operation is an important part of our aim to build a sense of community and to promote the wonderfully creative things that are done by local clubs and societies.

“We are really pleased this year to have been able to have a wide spread of events where our choices were not just driven by commercial factors. For instance, the events that we  scheduled in each of the local schools, a large number of free events, exemplified by our popular lunch -time concerts, as well as some special interest events that Westbury ‘can’t afford’. 

“For this freedom, we are very grateful to our major festival sponsors: Westbury Town Council, Hills, Elkins Ford, David Wilson Homes and Backhouse, together with those who sponsored specific events, sponsored our tickets (HPH commercial property), advertised with us, plus a whole list of ‘kind supporters’ who provided us with other help such as Davies of Westbury, GM3 Music, Westbury Library, White Horse News and Westbury Heritage.

“I would also like to thank those who volunteered as stewards, helped with refreshments and the many others who contributed in so many ways – all making it a real ‘community’ event.

“However, I particularly want to thank the hard-working committee members who have given up hundreds of hours as volunteers over the last year to make the festival happen; Radek Evans, Warren Harding, Christine Jenkins, Ward Jones, Mike Pearce, Brenda Pyne, Mary Pyne, Jane Russ and Beth Thomas. They have produced a festival of which any town would be proud. (If you are interested in joining our committee, please get in touch).

“Perhaps most importantly, I’d also like to thank the people who supported the festival by coming to events.”