CAMELFORD Town Council’s annual Fun Week this May half-term was a huge success with over 1,600 participants from the town and surrounding area.

The spring fayre kicked off Fun Week, with plenty on offer for the community.

On Saturday, May 26, the popular event lifted community spirits and got everyone in the mood for the rest of the events to come.

From 1pm until 4pm in Enfield Park, locals and visitors were able to learn some new tricks at the circus skills workshop with Camel Circus Jam, show their furry friends off at the fun dog show, watch the Tywardreath Morris Dancers provide some entertainment and then take part in the duck race towards the end of the day.

Stalls included Camelford Library, the Top Town Memory Café, Camelford Town Council and Plastic Free Camelford. The team from Plastic Free Camelford also got a huge gathering of people together to take part in a litter pick around the park to help tidy things up.

The council secured a £1,000 grant from FEAST to help pay for workshops and events, which worked around the theme of storytelling in light of Camelford Town Council taking over the library.

Fun Week was made possible by working in partnership with local businesses, organ­isations, artists and families.

The town is very fortunate to have the support of local business Needle and Thread for the Craft Fair and the Fabric Camelford Workshop which hopes to display the work in the library later this year.

Plastic Free Camelford organised a Morsbag workshop to help cut back on the use of plastic bags, by making recycled material shopping bags.

This year, at each event, donations were received to raise money for the skate park (which is due to start this month) and raise money to put back into funding Fun Week.

It raised £400 for the skate park, with thanks to the Brownies Bingo on Friday night helping to raise a huge £300, and receipts from competition entries and Music in the Park raised £445 towards the costs of the week.

The week started with the Spring Fayre which included the ever popular dog show, stalls, Mayor’s Challenge (growing sunflowers) and Duck Race. Camel Circus Jam entertained the children all day with a circus skills workshop, and Tywardreath Morris Dancers provided some more traditional entertainment. Plastic Free Camelford organised a litter pick after the event.

Other highlights of the week included John Brolly, professional storyteller who entertained the children with yarns about creatures who lived in Enfield Park, weaving in traditional children’s stories like Little Red Riding Hood.

The adult story time was created through very clever crowd participation setting the storyline, which provided lots of laughs.

Tug of War was such fun, and last year’s champions Wainhouse Inn, won the men’s Tug of War, with Liberal Ladies winning the Ladies Tug of War, and the children’s team won by Team Fortnite. The prizes were kindly donated by Sharps Brewery and St Austell Brewery.

Additional events included Slip n Slide with local family ‘The Alans’. They raised a fantastic £150 towards the Exeter Scoliosis Spinal Unit.

The Dark Skies Evening was kindly run by Mike Willmott and Wayne Thomas from Caradon Observatory. It was a hugely popular event and the council hopes to run something similar again later in the year.

Unfortunately the star gazing session planned for afterwards at Roughtor was cancelled due to bad weather.

A wonderful poetry workshop was run by Margaret Livingston. Participants’ work will go on the Poetry Bridge to add to last year’s poetry. Keep an eye out for more poetry boards on the railings!

The Lego Competition was won by Deegan, Aston and Jake. There were more than 14 children taking part and it was a very hard decision for the mayor to make!

Winner of name the Dragon for the library was Noah Rosen who chose ‘Geoff’ as Camelford Town Library’s story time softie!

Mayor, Kirsty Ferguson, ran Mayor’s Storytime for the children and Mayor’s Afternoon Tea for the senior citizens of Camelford. Thanks to Peggy Ellison for her huge help with this event.

The finale of the week was Music in the Park which was bigger than ever before. The Camelford Introducing music competition winner and runner up performed on stage brilliantly.

The winner was Kayley Carhart with runner up Max Walker. Both received a £75 Amazon voucher. Anyone interested in entering next year’s competition should get in touch with Amanda at Camelford Town Council.

The crowd were entertained by Michelle Pluess, Ash Nightin­gale, St Genny’s Silver Band, The Grenaways, Me and the Devil and the headlining act this year was the Andy Quick Band.

It was a wonderful afternoon and evening of quality entertainment with over 800 people attending throughout the day.

Thanks to the Conservative Club for providing the bar and Alice in Burgerland for providing food. The Hair and Beauty Place provided glitter and face painting, with North Coast Henna painting wonderful designs on party goers.

If you would like to help with Fun Week 2019, please get in touch with Amanda Lash, deputy town clerk, at [email protected]

Look out for details of next year’s event which looks to build on the success of this year.

A spokesperson said: “Camelford Town Council would like to thank all those that took part in events and workshops – without you, these events would not be possible.”