The past twelve months have been another outstanding chapter in the story of Corfe Mullen Carnival. Every event was delivered to an exceptional standard, enjoyed by the community and most importantly, run safely.
We began the year with the Christmas Parade and Festive Lights, which once again lit up the village and were warmly received by residents. My sincere thanks go to the committee members who worked to install the new festive lights on a couple of Saturdays in November, as well as to our generous sponsors whose support made it all possible.
After a busy winter of planning and preparation, Carnival Week arrived in style. A particular highlight was our inaugural Race Night at the Royal British Legion – a resounding success that has already earned its place as a regular feature on our calendar.
Carnival Day itself exceeded expectations, drawing record attendance and providing a welcome boost for local businesses. The shift in the Folk Festival date may well have contributed to this and it is something the committee should consider carefully when planning future events.
Like many organisations, we continue to face rising costs. However, the loyalty of our sponsors has enabled us to maintain the high standards of entertainment our community has come to expect. One area to be addressed, is the steady decline in procession entries over the past five years. This winter we will look at fresh ideas and strategies to reinvigorate and promote participation.
Other changes have proved very successful this year. Replacing a costly main arena act with performances from local groups was an inspired choice, giving a platform to home-grown talent while strengthening community spirit. Our Pub quizzes were once again extremely popular, helped by stronger administrative processes and the fun run attracted consistent numbers despite clashes with other local events.
Looking to the future, I am especially encouraged by the progress of our youth engagement work and the Carnival Champion initiative. These projects are beginning to get traction with exciting partnerships developing with Lockyer’s School and other youth groups. These young people represent the future of the Carnival and I am confident they will help us to explore new and exciting opportunities in the years ahead.
None of this would be possible without the dedication and hard work of the committee and my heartfelt thanks go to each and every one of you.
To the wider community and our local businesses, your continued support is at the core of the Carnival and we could not do it without you.
Thank you all for being part of another remarkable year. Together, we continue to make the Corfe Mullen Carnival a true celebration of our community.
David Mills - Corfe Mullen Carnival Chairman
