ORGANISERS of the hugely popular Countryville event are hoping to put the new event on Westbury’s annual calendar to provide a one-day festival of music and entertainment.
Despite the showers, 1,300 people flocked to Heywood House earlier this month to catch a glimpse of the chart-topping West Country favourites The Wurzels who were performing a special Countryville concert, ciders in hand, to raise money for the Westbury and Warminster Youth Club.
As well as The Wurzels, Countryville-goers were treated to performances by Diamond Dolly – a Dolly Parton Tribute, local favourites The Cleyhill Stompers, Domenic DeCicco, Al O’Kane, Sloe Jam, Joe Brown and FFTP. As well as plenty of live music, there was a children’s area, a talent show and classic country games such as a welly wanging competition and toss the marrow, to entertain guests in between the music. The event was organised by Captain Events.
The idea for a charity concert came about thanks to the leader of the Westbury and Warminster Youth Club, Beth Mullins, who says that she needed to find alternative funding in order to support the club’s activities due to rising costs.
“As a charity with costs rising but no grants it was important that we looked for alternative ways to secure funding – so ten months ago, I had this crazy idea of bringing The Wurzels to Westbury,” Beth explained.
“To think what we achieved in ten months is incredible. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the help of the trustees, my team, youth club members, Team10, Westbury Rotary Club, Ryan Child, Westbury Festival, Leander Morales, 4Youth, the volunteers and staff, Heywood House, and the event sponsors to which I owe the biggest thank you for believing in me and the youth club and coming together to organise and pull off such a stunning event.
“I must give the biggest thank you to everyone who brought a ticket because without their support there would be no event. Thank you to everyone involved for a truly phenomenal day.
“We are proud of the young people from the youth club who helped us and proud to initiate bringing the event to Westbury. The money we did raise will go straight back to the young people. It will help to cover rising costs, so we are able to provide the same level of weekly activities that they are used to.”
The organisers of the event, Captain Events, say that following the popularity of the event they are considering holding Countryville annually to support a local charity each year.
Kate Smith from Captain Events said, “We are not sure on exact money raised for the youth club yet but thank you everyone for buying tickets, eating and drinking from youth club stalls and making a parking donation. No doubt it will help their cause massively. Captain Events is exploring it as a yearly event, always supporting a local charity. This is not decided yet.
“Although Captain Events organised the event it was a huge team effort, with Gm3 Music and Westbury Festival behind the entertainment, Westbury Rotary Club running the games, Matravers’ Combined Cadet Force organising the parking, 4Youth for behind the talent show and of course Heywood House providing the stunning venue.
“Everyone came together to give Westbury a cracking event and to raise much-needed funds for the youth club, whose young people sold pies, offered face painting, arts and crafts and collected donations for parking. A huge thank you also to Hire Standards, Skip it Recycling, Chappell Associates, Prosec Consultancy, Pieminister and Heywood House.”
