Volunteers needed as popular High Peak festival returns

The New Mills One World Festival is an annual open air festival which celebrates the themes of peace, the environment, cultural diversity, community and world development.

This year it is back in the town for the first time since before the Covid pandemic and now organisers are calling for more volunteers to come forward and help out.

Sophie Mackreth from the festival said: “The festival has been run by volunteers since 1990, and after a couple of years of uncertainty we want to get back to our traditional event of bands, stalls and family fun.

“Numbers on the organising group have dropped recently and the festival is looking to find six or seven new enthusiasts.”

In 2020, the festival was cancelled and organisers were unable to plan the 2021 festival because of covid restrictions. As an alternative, in partnership with New Mills Festival, ‘One World on The Prom’ was created but this year the main festival is returning.

There will be live music, talks and discussions, dance and art performances as well as food and drink sellers and stalls from campaign groups and charities.

The festival is free to attend. It does, however, organisers say cost a considerable amount of money to put on as it is not funded by the local council so they ask people to throw some change into the buckets which will be dotted around on the day.

The event will take place on Saturday July, 2 between 12pm and 6pm in High Lea Park, New Mills.

Sophie said: “Do you want to give something back to the community? Do you feel passionately about celebrating positive action for a better world?

“We’d love to hear from you.”

There is a volunteer meeting taking place on Tuesday, February 22 at 7pm at the High Peak Community Arts’ office, New Mills Adult Education Centre on Spring Bank in New Mills.

The festival is also looking for stallholders and local bands to play on the day.

For more information email [email protected].

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