Chobham Carnival

CHOBHAM’S BIGGEST AND BEST COMMUNITY EVENT OF THE YEAR

Carnival grants go

to 18 good causes

THE FEEDBACK is that we did it again – the 2023 Chobham Carnival was another fantastic day out for people of all ages. We were concerned that rain would spoil the occasion when it drizzled in the morning, but it held off and we enjoyed a warm and pleasant spring day. Thousands of people came to watch the procession, watch the arena displays, peruse the sideshows and have fun at the fair. We are already thinking about next year’s carnival, which is planned for Monday, 6 May. How can we keep up the reputation for stunning entertainment, improve the food provision and other facilities such as toilets? We will welcome comments and suggestions on making the carnival even better, which can be emailed to chobhamcarnival@outlook.com. The carnival association committee would also welcome recruits to help us keep the event going as a valuable community asset. Our events are run by volunteers and the more help we have the more successful they can be. If you would like to join us, or come to a meeting to find out what we do, email Tim Elwin at timelwin@gmail.com. And if you are thinking of having a stall or sideshow at the 2024 carnival email carnivalstalls@btinternet.com.

EIGHTEEN organisations have received grants from the money raised for good causes at this year’s carnival events. Just under £5,000 has been distributed – with amounts ranging from a contribution to buying candles for St Lawrence Church to support for a dance school that won world cup gold for England. Carnival association chairman Tim Elwin said the total raised was less than the spectacular £8,359 distributed last year but had returned to pre-COVID levels. “In 2022, we were able to hold both a carnival and a ball for the first since 2019 and people were pleased to come out after months of restrictions on their entertainment and outings,” he added. “Nevertheless, we were delighted with the total we are able to give out this year to deserving community groups and charities.” Five organisations each received £400. They include Woking-based Street Vibes Dance School, which sent 39 pupils to represent England in the Dance World Cup in Spain in June. The team – many of whom staged a display in the carnival arena on 1 May – picked up a gold medal, two silvers, a bronze, a fourth and a sixth place from their six dances across the genres of hip hop and commercial. Street Vibes will used their grant to help pay the cost of new training kit and make sure their activities are available to as many children as possible. Another group that performed at the carnival, Prime Acrobatics, will use its £400 to help take in around 400 children from its waiting list of 1,000. The money will buy equipment for the extra space the club has taken over at its Heather Farm base in Horsell. Chobham Village Hall committee will put its £400 towards the £9,000 cost of repainting the outside of the building, repairing the car park and its rising running costs. St Lawrence Primary School and Chobham Army Cadets received the same amount. Three applicants received £300 – Chobham Festival, Chobham Agricultural and Horticultural Association and St Lawrence Friends Heritage Trust, which supports the maintenance of the two village churches. The festival will use its grant to help stage its Music in Schools concerts at St Lawrence Primary and Valley End Infant this autumn. The “Ag and Hort” will put its grant towards replacing its showground signs and promotional banner, while the trust is being helped to repair the electrical system at St Saviour’s Church, Valley End. Grants of £250 went to Woking and District RSPCA branch, Chobham Museum, Quest Riding for the Disabled Association and Chobham and District Lawn Tennis Club. The RSPCA needed help in meeting the cost of helping members of the public who are struggling with veterinary fees. The museum can buy a new gazebo to replace the one that was badly damaged by a gust of wind at the end of the carnival fete, Quest will put its grant towards running costs and the tennis club has been helped in buying a new fridge for its pavilion. Chobham Recreation Ground Charitable Trust received the full £204 cost of replacing the battery in the defibrillator that is available for emergency use at the Parish Pavilion. The Friends of Valley End can buy £200 worth of books for the infants school library and Chobham Scout Group received £200 for equipping its new kitchen with crockery and pots and pans. Chobham Country Market will use its £170 to help buy a new advertising banner and update its leaflets and business cards. St Lawrence Church will put its £150 towards new candles. Finally, the Woking and Sam Beare Hospices charity boutique in Chobham – which dresses the carnival king and queen – received £100 towards the cost of new clothes rails. “Many of the organisations that receive grants support the carnival through running stalls at the fete, being in the procession or providing some fantastic entertainment,” said Tim. “We are particularly please to be able to help them financially.” Most of the money distributed comes the proceeds of the carnival ball, which features a raffle and silent auction of donated items, and sponsorship, stallholder fees and donations on the gate at the carnival fete.

And now for next year...