Buxton’s community bonfire could be lost forever as organisers step down permanently
Buxton’s community bonfire event could be lost forever unless new volunteers step forward to run it.
Although the event - now approaching its 54th anniversary - has been cancelled this year due to the pandemic, its organisers Buxton and District Lions Club say they can no longer support it in future.
Due to dwindling numbers and an ageing membership the organisation are stepping down from the role and are appealing for another ‘strong’ community organisation to take over.
Lions secretary David Brindley told how low profit margins from the annual display left them with very little to use for the charitable causes they support.
He described how over the last ten years crowd figures had dwindled to less than half of what they were 10 years ago - when it drew up to 3,000 people on a dry night.
With the fireworks display costing as much as £6,500 as well the cost of advertising, ticket printing, insurance and safety equipment the Lions have been left with as little as £500 some years.
David said: “We’re looking for a stable community organisation to run this as a community event but they would need financial backing.
“We’ve found particularly over the last 2-3 years that bonfires’ popularity is dwindling.
“People are more and more conscious of the impact they have on the environment - but it would be a pity if there were no more community bonfires.”
David says the Lions are happy to provide a detailed brief of the work involved in putting on the display.
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