Re: accy carnival
 

Sorry, didn't mean to sound so negative - just trying to explain why people aren't getting involved.

Re: accy carnival
 

The Obserer certainly supports the Carnival Queen/Princess competitions, which offers weeks and weeks of free publicity.

Re: accy carnival
 

Gayle ... it's the Lions .. not the Rotary ... don't think they are connected ?

Well, I think it is a disgrace that some of our local companies do not support. Ok, you talk about the money. Costs are only £50 for entry and then maybe the cost of the wagon to carry the 'cast'. Would not cost any company any more than £300 I would have thought.

Problem is, big companies do not run a Social Club anymore to organise such events, but with all the money some spend on marketing (Ossie Mills a prime example), surely this amount is not beyond their means and would create great team building. Of course, they are now cold in their catchments, meaning they market other areas rather than their home town because that is where their customers are to be found. Afraid it is management attitude, not the workers. Treated in the correct way, they would be able to create great camaraderie within their workforce !!

Re: accy carnival
 

Yes, sorry Kate you're quite right Lions, not Rotary. Apologies to the Lions.

You say £300 to get involved - but it's not just £300 is it, they'd have to pay the staff to do it, hire costumes, hire the float etc, I'd bet it gets to about £1,000 easily per company. Perhaps not all in hard cash but certainly not cheap.

Re: accy carnival
 

[quote=Gayle;723478]Yes, sorry Kate you're quite right Lions, not Rotary. Apologies to the Lions.

You say £300 to get involved - but it's not just £300 is it, they'd have to pay the staff to do it, hire costumes, hire the float etc, I'd bet it gets to about £1,000 easily per company. Perhaps not all in hard cash but certainly not :D



Nah, Gayle ... we don't hire costumes always, do we ? Wouldn't be much loss either to give the staff free time to make the float ... probably would do it voluntarily if approached in the correct way...

Re: accy carnival
 

The hauliers usually do it free of charge

Re: accy carnival
 

nice one kate i think i have started something

Re: accy carnival
 

We got the free use of a float from Senator International amd one of their drivers volunteered his services now perhaps this company as well as being community focused also recognised that having their logo on the float helped to raise their profile in the local community

We have had great fun in creating the float over the past few weeks and it has enabled some people within the club who had not previously been involved as volunteers to play a more active role and have a better understanding of our club

How much does a company spend on it's advertising budget, I would suggest that the minimal amount to enter the carnival would e insignificant and register well with the local community

Re: accy carnival
 

it's nowt to put a float into the carnival!

£50 for the entry to the procession, and like KSH says most hauliers will provide a wagon given enough notice. If a driver needs/wants paying then they'd probably do that for next to nowt or a bit of gratis from the company concerned. Many staff would also volunteer their services for a bit of team building - maybe not every year but certainly as a one off.

Going back to the Council, I wonder how many councillors would volunteer their services if the carnival was the week before elections?

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It's quite a daunting challenge to create a float - I'm pretty sure that most people are more than a bit scared and wouldn't know where to start. I'm not even sure I'd want to do it.

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I wouldn't know where to start either, I agree with what you've said so far and I'm sure the bad weather played a part in the low turn out too. It's a shame.

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We had a great day :D

Re: accy carnival
 

I'm not in Accrington, obviously, so I can only comment "remotely". We had our village "carnival" last weekend and, like you, I was disappointed in the lack of floats etc. The thing is it's not money that's the problem.

A float needn't cost much. You need the loan of a lorry - I don't know about Accrington but our local committee provides the insurance so that's not a problem and local firms are quite good about lending them out. You need people to decorate the lorry - my daughter, Brown Owl with a local pack, does that with her helpers, all the other orgnisations do it too. You need people dressed up - who needs to hire costumes? A bit of imagination and the odd nip and tuck works wonders.

There seems to be apathy, everywhere, about this sort of thing. It's very sad.

Re: accy carnival
 

Last Carnival my daughter was involved thru being head girl at Peel Park, we got driven along in the parade by Harold Hardman, he was President of the Lions at the time ( I think) , we had a great day and although the weather was pants it was a very successful event. I really can't see how people can lay the blame on local businesses, I know from experience that at branch level you can't just say, "here you go, here's £50 " It's a sackable offence .Larger business get loads of begging letters every week and most of the time our hands are tied because we have shop forums that elect a charity for the year and all we raise goes to that. I know it's hard to appreciate that big firms don't have the cash but trust me, they don't !:rolleyes:

Yes, I have experience of that too. I work for quite a large company and we have a designated charity. Like you say, we get lots of begging letters from people asking for sponsorship or donations but if we hold any events to raise money the proceeds go to Pendleside hospice.