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Primary cause announced for Ilkley Carnival!

 

The Ilkley Carnival committee has announced The Burley Joint Scout & Guide Group will be the primary beneficiary of this year’s TV themed May Day event.

 

The Burley Scout & Guide Group facilitates activities for around 350 children a week, but its small, under equipped 50-year-old headquarters means some on the 200-strong waiting list never get through the doors.

 

Half of the profits from this year’s Ilkley Carnival, on Monday 7 May, will provide facilities and equipment within the Group’s new building which is expected to be complete and open by December. The remaining half of funds raised will be shared between other local causes, charities and organisations. 

 

Ilkley Carnival chairman Andrew Stacey, said helping to improve the Burley scouting headquarters reflected Ilkley Carnival’s mission of supporting local projects which have a wider community value.

 

He said: “The Burley Scout & Guide Group have spent the last four years independently fundraising, without any significant external donations. They have already spent £245k of donated funds needed to build their new, much larger headquarters but more funding is needed to equip the inside and this is where Ilkley Carnival can help.”

 

He added: “To help furnish the building with a new kitchen, heating or lighting is the sort of legacy that perfectly fits the Carnival’s ethos and will help to make this facility operational for groups from toddlers to adults. We had our biggest number of primary beneficiary applicants ever this year but Burley’s scouting and guide leaders presented an incredibly strong case at interview stage and the committee’s decision was unanimous.”

 

The Burley Scout & Guide Group was established more than 100 years ago. The current headquarters was built in 1968 for families of the 2,800 residents and accommodated one cub pack, a scout troop and a small venture scout unit. Today the village has grown to 8,500 residents and the same premises now accommodates 15 groups from Rainbows to Rangers with 350 children attending every week and a waiting list of more than 200.

 

Guide leader Sue Vint said: “We’re running three classes a night, five nights a week and unfortunately, without bigger and better premises, some of those on our waiting lists will simply never get through. As the hub of a busy and growing village, there’s a great need for a facility which can welcome all young people and accommodate social events, Duke of Edinburgh training, exercise classes, toddler groups and evening classes.

 

She added: “Demand has certainly outstripped supply, so we simply had to raise the money to create a better facility. To have our cause recognised by the Ilkley Carnival committee and to receive their pledge of support for 2018 is absolutely fantastic and we know that together, we can complete this four-year project which will make a difference to every element of our local community.”

 

Ilkley Carnival committee continues to invite sponsors and supporters to help increase the profits of the event on Monday 7 May. Visit www.ilkleycarnival.org for more information on advertising in the programme, lamp post banners, sponsor packages and volunteering opportunities.