Fireworks display raises thousands for local charities

Bradley Stoke Firework Display 2012.

The tenth annual Bradley Stoke Fireworks Display raised more than £4,000 for charitable causes, according to a report presented to last night’s meeting of the Town Council.

As in previous years, the highly popular 15-minute display was put on by Kimbolton Fireworks, the company behind displays at the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics and the starting countdown was led by Bradley Stoke’s own resident Paralympian Karen Butler, who placed sixth in her fourth Paralympics at London this year.

With no charge for entry, the crowd of over 4,000 were asked for donations to the Mayor’s Charities, with bucket collections bringing in £3,667 on the night. A further £435 donated by traders brought the total to £4,102, which will be shared by the Alzheimer’s Society Bradley Stoke Sports & Social Club and the Have a Heart ChildLine Appeal.

Thanking the public, Town Mayor Cllr Charlotte Walker said:

“We were delighted with the turnout this year and once again the generosity of residents’ donations has been tremendous.”

“I’d like to thank the staff and volunteers who assisted in making the event a success and of course Karen for joining us as our guest of honour on the night”

The report reveals that the Council employed a private security company (at a cost of £526) to monitor Savages Wood Road and the pedestrian access route from Braydon Avenue. A new system of installing temporary barriers down the centre of Savages Wood Road is said to have “worked well” in keeping a clear emergency access route, although some spectators are reported to have tried to move the barriers as the crowd left the site following the end of the display.

Crowds surge away from the Jubilee Centre after the display.

Photo: Crowds surge away from the Jubilee Centre after the display.

The total cost of staging the event is put at £7,393, with Kimbolton being paid £4,370 for the display. Other major items of expenditure include fencing (£474) and barrier hire (£582).

Local resident John Miller, speaking during the public questions session at last night’s meeting, praised the Council’s staging of the event, adding that it “improves every year”. Reaction from Journal readers on our Facebook page has been mixed, with some saying the display was “brilliant” but others remarking that it was “nowhere as good as previous years” and “over too quick”.

Following the 2010 display there was talk that the event might have to be moved to another venue because of crowd safety concerns, but by moving the launch area to the top field more space has been created for spectators to stand around the lower field.

Main photo: Bradley Stoke Fireworks 2012 [© Steve Gibbard]

More Photos on PicasaWeb (The Journal) and Flickr (Steve Gibbard).

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3 comments

  1. Was good display, I thought there were fewer fireworks than usual.

    Barriers seemed to work, and to me there were fewer cars down The Willows than usual.

    So overall well done.

  2. Maybe some of the money raised next year could be used to sort out the drainage of the Jubilee green playing fields which seem to get waterlogged with the even slightest bit of rain.

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