By Helen ffitch
An astonishing record amount of money has been raised by Swanage Carnival in Dorset to the glee of 23 local charities and good causes.
At the Swanage Carnival presentation evening at The Mowlem in Swanage on Friday 27th September 2024, it was a time to celebrate as a record breaking £30,900 was handed out.
Swanage Carnival volunteers are delighted to have raised £30,900 for charity in 2024
Profit goes straight back into the community
It costs in the region of £225,000 to stage the eight day spectacular, which took place in 2024 from Saturday 27th July to Saturday 3rd August. Once the costs are paid, all the profit goes back to the community.
Opening the evening, chair of Swanage Carnival Darren Strong thanked the carnival volunteers, the local emergency services and others who made the event possible. He said:
“The week itself was its usual madcap array of wonderful performances, entertainment, music and dancing, as well as the usual cock-ups behind the scenes!
“But thanks to our wonderful professional committee it’s never really visible to many visitors and that’s really down to each and every red and yellow shirt on the committee…
“Also on procession day this year, unknown to most people, we had two medical emergencies to deal with shortly before kick off. And it was at that point, once it was dealt with, that I thought how lucky we are to have such a great community and support from our local emergency services.
“I’d like to thank them, as well as our own first aid provider for helping us on carnival day with particular thanks to Ian Brown and the coastguard team who were ready to assist, and to Nick Corben and Swanage firefighters, along with the RNLI volunteers who dealt with an incident along the parade route.
“Also a massive thank you to all our sponsors and supporters that always help us stage a fantastic event. Also thank you to the town council and in particular Gail Percival and the operations team for their help.”
Darren then delighted the audience with the good news about the total raised for charity:
“I’m incredibly excited to let you all know we will be giving our biggest ever amount away. I’m very happy to say that the total amount we are giving away this evening is a staggering £30,900!”
Carnival crimson lights up The Mowlem in Swanage for the special presentation evening
Who got what from Swanage Carnival
- Swanage Coastguard / Fire and Rescue / Lifeboat: £500
- St George’s Pre-school: £500
- Corfe Castle FC: £1,000
- Dementia Friendly Purbeck: £1,000
- Friends of Dorset Carers: £1,000
- Friends of Swanage Primary School: £1,000
- Herston Village Hall: £1,000
- Mount Scar Cygnets Pre-school: £1,000
- St Marks Primary School: £1,000
- Swanage and Wareham Hockey Club: £1,000
- Swanage Gymnastics: £1,000
- Swanage Linking Lives: £1,000
- Allsort’d.org: £1,500
- Friends of St Mary’s Association: £1,500
- Greengage Community Garden: £1,500
- Harlequin Care: £1,500
- Lewis-Manning Hospice Care: £1,500
- National Coastwatch Institution: £1,500
- Swanage Community Defibrillator Partnership: £1,500
- Swanage Musical Theatre Company: £1,500
- Swanage Sea Rowing Club: £1,500
Annual charities
- Swanage Stroke Club £500
- Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance £1,500
Chair’s charity
- Forget Me Not £3,400
The charity Forget Me Not, which supports parents who have lost a baby either during pregnancy or after birth, received a£3,400 donation. Left to right: Carnival committee member Chris Tomes, president Kevin Lyons, vice chair Neal Diffey, Sophie Wilson from Forget Me Not, and chair Darren Strong
Special presentation
There was also a special presentation to two very special carnival volunteers – Mitch and Roger.
They’ve been a key part of carnival over the last 15 years working as part of the overnight security team with Steve Churchill, and Lurch who sadly died a few years ago.
Now they’ve decided to retire and were each given a presentation carnival photo canvas.
Carnival committee member Chris Tomes said:
“We have been blessed to have them and you will both me sorely missed at next year’s carnival.”
Mitch (left) and Roger (centre) each receive a special presentation carnival photo canvas from carnival chair Darren Strong
In pictures
Swanage Coastguard station officer Ian Brown receives a donation for all his team’s work during carnival week
A gift for Swanage Fire Station is accepted by firefighter Robert Fenton
Dave Turnbull (left) and Robert Pullman (centre) from Swanage RNLI welcome the carnival donation
Hannah Lambert (left) and Kate Astle (centre) were presented with £500 for St George’s preschool in Langton Matravers
Martin Patterson (left) and Harry Smith (right) from Corfe Castle Football Club receive £1,000
Dementia Friendly Purbeck is presented with a cheque for £1,000. Left to right: Mike Bonfield, carnival secretary Kevin Langdon, Mo Andrews, Joy Sparks, Sue Plowman and Tim Lench
Val Hodges (right) from Friends of Dorset Young Carers accepts £1,000 for the charity from Swanage town mayor Tina Foster (left)
Friends of Swanage Primary School are delighted with £1,000
Kim Gallagher receives £1,000 on behalf of Herston Village Hall
Sabrina Moss accepts £1,000 on behalf of Mount Scar Cygnets Pre-school
St Mark’s Primary School receive £1,000 which is accepted by Beth Gajic (left) and Nikki Canning (centre)
Ellie Meteau (left) and Naomi Blows (right) pick up £1,000 for Swanage and Wareham Hockey Club
Chris Crooks and Hannah Nicolson from Swanage Gymnastics receive £1,000
Caroline Powell (left) and Linda Hernandez (right) from Swanage Linking Lives accept £1,000
Stars from Allsort’d are pleased to pick up £1,500
Left to right: Michelle Nash, Corinne Edmunds and Shannon Ritchie from Friends of St Mary’s Association receive £1,500
Penny Cleaver and Sue Allatt from Greengage Community Garden pick up £1,500
Patricia Wright (right) from Harlequin Care accepts £1,500
Lewis-Manning Hospice Care team receive £1,500
From the Swanage National Coastwatch Institution Martin Jones and David Ridd receive £1,500
Dave Corben (right) and Maggie Hardy (left) from the Swanage Community Defibrillator Partnership pick up £1,500
Members of the Swanage Musical Theatre Company are delighted to receive £1,500
Swanage Sea Rowing Club junior member Keren and the rowing club’s chair Adrian Charters pick up £1,500
Dierdre Selwyn (left) and Pauline Dorland (centre) from Swanage Stroke Club receive £500
Linda Hernandez (left) and Daphne Saville (centre) representing Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance receive £1,500