Hanging in the balance

At a public meeting last week the Friends of the Princess of Wales Community Hospital announced this year would be its last gala in Sanders Park on carnival day in July.

Over the years thousands of pounds have been raised for the hospital through the procession and gala.

Now the future of the event is uncertain as carnival chairman Jeff Evans and gala organiser Sian Moule are leaving this year.

It was announced that there would be no floats in this year's parade, only walkers and the route will start off from the Artrix, in School Drive.

At the meeting in the Spadesbourne Suite, where only one resident attended, Jeff said the time had come to retire.

"We have ideas and have changed this carnival to what we think people will enjoy, but we need new ideas and people. It is difficult for a committee who've been working together to reinvent something.

"It is devastating to leave, but we have to move on."

Sian Moule added: "The decision to leave after this year's event is heartbreaking, but I have to do it."

It was said the Friends would be unable to continue organising the gala in future because of insufficient manpower.

Bromsgrove district councillor Janice Boswell (Con-Furlongs), praised Jeff and Jules - Jeff's wife who has arranged entertainment for the events, and Sian for their work and said they were a fantastic team.

It was suggested a number of partner agencies may now take the carnival forward and split the takings among them and Jeff has been invited to the March meeting of the Equality and Diversity Forum in Bromsgrove to speak to groups about this possibility.