The Plumstead Make Merry Association is delighted to announce that it has received a £6,756 grant from the Big Lottery’s Awards4All fund, towards this year’s festival. “The money will pay for essentials such as the bandstand, sound equipment, insurance, printing, toilets and the like. It means that the event will definitely go ahead,” declared Sarah Harper, Chair of the organisation. “We are all thrilled to bits.”
The ever-popular Plumstead Make Merry, which is the borough’s longest-running community festival, will celebrate its 40th anniversary on 6th June on Plumstead Common. Highlights include an eclectic mix of music, dance and displays, stalls, international food and a traditional funfair. Over 7,000 revellers attended last year.
The organisers – a handful of local volunteers – have also secured a Community Arts grant of £2,655, which will fund workshops. Local people be will able to try a variety of art-related activities, including water colouring, African drumming, maypole dancing (with a modern twist!) and much more. This is the first grant the festival has received from the Royal Borough of Greenwich, since cut-backs in 2010. Skipton Building Society has also donated £500 and the group has been busy fundraising at grassroots level by running activities for tots, raffles and bring & buy sales. “We are also extremely grateful for the support we have been receiving from Art Plumstead, the History Mill, Greenwich Rugby Football Club, the Old Mill public house, Hop Stuff, Aperture Woolwich Photographic Society, the Royal Greenwich Scout Association and countless local people,” said Deborah O’Boyle, the committee’s fundraiser. “Without them, the event just could not happen.”
However, fundraising does not stop here. In order to top up funds needed for this year and to help secure the festival’s future, the group has set up a crowdfunding project with a target of £5,000. Visit the BuzzBnk website for further details (https://buzzbnk.org/plumsteadmakemerry) or donate using PayPal via the Plumstead Make Merry website (https://plumsteadmakemerry.co.uk/donate/).
Plumstead Make Merry 