Council grant to help Country Fete flourish
MORVAL Parish Council has awarded a grant of £491.60 to the Morval and Widegates Country Fete.
The fete, held each year in the grounds of the Old Memorial Hall at Morval, has been running for more than ten years with the aim of bringing together the community to enjoy a day of relaxation and entertainment, while also raising money for good causes in Cornwall.
Among donations in recent times was a gifted £250 to the Morval Parish Play Park funds.
The fete also provides an opportunity for local small businesses and craftspeople to display and sell their wares, and aims to provide live music, refreshments and a dog show in addition to the usual stalls.
In making the application for grant aid, the organisers said that because the event had grown significantly in recent years, additional equipment was required.
They wanted to hire-in toilets (at a likely cost of £127); have three advertising banners (£58.20 each) and purchase a 3-ft x 6-ft gazebo (£190).
THE first meeting of the new Focus Group to oversee the parish play park at Widegates discussed ideas for planting, including creating a sensory garden with bug hotels and the like.
Both the Widegates Garden Club and Trenode CoE Primary school were said to be keen to be involved.
The Focus Group will meet again at the Village Hall, Widegates, on Wednesday, April 2 (before the Parish Council’s monthly meeting) and anyone interested in joining is welcome to attend.
There is no financial commitment or obligation for any parents or individuals able to help, and it’s likely to involve only about three or four meetings a year, once up and running.
The Parish Council will be responsible for this ‘management’ body (and will also be represented on it) but those interested in guiding the facility in the years ahead are urged to sign up for what is essentially a ‘Friends of…’ organisation as soon as possible.
For more information, please e-mail: clerk@morvalparishcouncil.org.uk
The Government says that the Focus Group has to be formed, otherwise the Parish Council will be in breach of its agreement when receiving the £125,000 grant (without which the play area at Farriers Way, Widegates, would still be a dream).
Said a Government spokesman: “We aim to set up volunteering opportunities linked to the park that will enable people to get actively involved; lead other groups of volunteers and, hopefully, feel that they can become ‘movers and shakers’ within their community, gaining the skills and experience to drive future activities and growth.
“This would also be great for those with spare time, perhaps older people who often have valuable skills, but, crucially, a group of local parents who might, for example, establish an annual ‘play day’ to celebrate what is probably Morval Parish’s most major achievement to date.”
19th March 2025