13 October 2014

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

TOWN Mayor Nick Hodges attended the AGM of the Music and Arts Festival to hear chairman Christine Mainstone give the following report on this years very successful event.

“I have pleasure in presenting to you the Chairman’s report for the East Grinstead Music and Arts Festival 2014.

We had a very successful Festival with an increased number of entrants in each section resulting in a full and vibrant Chequer Mead.

Thank you to the section secretaries: Ann Bridle (singing), Janet Topping (speech and drama) and Carole Clark (dance). You made Chequer Mead ring with talent and enthusiasm over the four weekends. You make your roles look so easy but having worked alongside you all during the Festival, I can assure everyone your tasks are far from easy!

My thanks go to all our adjudicators for their attention to detail and for the positive remarks made to our participants.

We are only able to run the Festival with the support of our volunteers.

I extend a sincere thank you to Christine Hardisty for organising our volunteer rota.

Thank you also to Ann Mackie (membership), Ivor Humphreys (website), Lynda Goacher (minutes), Alex Leggat and Gordon Waddingham (treasurers) and Paul Johnson (vice-chairman).

An exciting change this year was to award a dance bursary worth £500 to an overall outstanding performer chosen by the adjudicator Jill Baldock.  The winner was Emily Devine and the bursary will be spent on furthering her dancing career.

I extend a special thank you to the Chequer Mead technicians for their help throughout the Festival.

A big, big thank you to Janet Gillbard who, as our secretary, works for us all the year round as well as being on duty every day at the festival from 9am to 10.30pm  ready to sort out any problems that may crop up. Janet works tirelessly planning our committee meetings, dealing with all correspondence, etc. and the organisation of the Festival itself.

Finally thank you to all members of the Festival committee.  You are all part of a very special group of people and it is great working with you.

Now it all begins again as we plan towards the Festival in 2015.”