This week in our Spotlight...on Volunteers campaign, we take a look at the volunteering team who organise the St Ives Carnival and Music Festival.
What do you do?
We are a small committee of seven who organise the St Ives Carnival & Music Festival, which is a three-day free event that happens annually.
This year, we have a Proms in the Park night on Friday, a family day on Saturday, and an all day music festival on the Sunday.
Each day there will be a funfair, stalls, food trucks and three bars.
The team of volunteers organise the whole event from start to finish - we raise all the funds required to put on the event, we find bands that are not only great, but will play the event for free or at very reduced costs, we book all of the stalls and other acts, and get the bars in place.
We ensure all the risk assessments and insurances are in place for all the subcontractors, we book the stage, sound system and techs - the list is endless!
How many volunteers are there? How often do they work?
The member get the event to the point of happening, and then, we ask for volunteers to help us over the weekend.
They help with setting up gazebos, traffic management, litter picking, manning the raffle table, wandering round as points of contact and helping us clear down the park the day after the event.
They also collect donations, man the entrance gate, handout safety wristbands for children - again, the list is endless!
What does volunteering mean to the group?
Whether it's time, money, food, or lending an ear to someone in need.
It’s not about everyone doing loads. It’s about us all doing our bit to make life a little better for all.
Helen Pertoldi, vice-chair, said: "I love to see people smiling, having fun and knowing I have made someone's day.
"I have spent years attending the carnival and made the best memories, when the previous committee all stood down, I stepped up to ensure future generations get to make the same memories."
Where would you be without your volunteers?
Without our team the event wouldn't go ahead at all, unless the council agreed to take it on.
We apply for a grant from the council, which has been agreed at around £9,400 for the past two years.
Last year's event cost £36,000 and we raised the remaining amount from sponsorships, donations, a raffle, stall holder/food truck/bar pitch fees, and it would have cost much more had we not had the goodwill gestures of local businesses.
Nearly all the bands and acts over the weekend volunteer their time which is priceless.
Are you on the lookout for more volunteers? What skills do they need?
Here are some of the volunteer roles available:
- Receiving wheelie bins - 12/07/24
- Receiving skips - 12/07/24
- Laying out wheelie bins - 12/07/24
- People on the ground checking stalls all ok and eyes on the crowd, handing out bin bags etc.
- Directing cars on/off park (bands/acts/stalls)
- Positioning stall holders according to plan
- Stage runners
- Litter pickers 12 – 15th
- Donation collectors 12th – 14th
- Welfare checkers
- Gazebo install/take down - put up 12th, take down 14/15th
- Check toilets are stocked
- Emptying bins
- Setting up arena
- Setting up emergency road
- Manning raffle tent
- Photos and videos of things going on around the park for social media
- Clearing the park on Monday
How to contact the committee
A contact form is available on their website: stivescarnivalandmusicfestival.co.uk
A link to the volunteering form can be found here.
Would you like to feature in our campaign?
Any volunteering groups that would like to feature in our campaign can get in touch at: francesca.herring@newsquest.co.uk
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