CARNIVAL organisers in Wellington worried about the future of the event are calling on spectators at this month’s spectacular to buy only official merchandise to help it survive.

The event, which has been running 125 years, costs about £7,000 to stage but the average collection over the last few years has been only £3,000, said carnival chairman Dave Rylatt.

“There are no complicated mathematics to consider here,” he added. “Unless the people watching carnival work with us this year, carnival will end in Wellington.”

Secretary Louise Brierley said the event was indebted to local businesses, especially those which advertise in the souvenir programme, and provide services and goods free of charge – and to residents who support carnival with events such as abseils and through the Wellington Street Fair.

The other towns in the South Somerset Federation of Carnivals face the same difficulties as Wellington and have come up with a plan which, with the support of the local community, could raise the money needed to secure the future of carnival in Wellington, Taunton, Ilminster and Chard.

Mr Rylatt said: “We estimate that about £10,000 is lost to the carnival purse by people purchasing carnival merchandise from pedlars from as far afield as the Midlands who descend on our towns to sell these items and exploit the atmosphere we create.

“Most people will be surprised to learn that not a single penny of this comes back into carnival – and, ultimately, therefore, to reach local groups and charities. The South Somerset Federation of Carnivals has joined together to purchase and sell carnival merchandise.

“The help we require is fairly simple. All we ask is that anyone wanting to purchase traditional carnival merchandise – LED toys, swords, hats and balloons – does so only from official Federation suppliers.”

Merchandise will be available to purchase from stalls in the town centre on Saturday (September 17) and at stalls in the town centre and Rockwell Green throughout the day on carnival day Saturday, September 24, with the help of the Rotary Club, the Archie Project and ‘Del Boy’.

For anyone unable to get into town on a Saturday morning, C&C Carpets will have a small stock of products available to purchase. A City Plumbing van with official seller signage and authorised sellers will be selling merchandise along the carnival route just before and during carnival.

Mr Rylatt added: “If our residents ignore the pedlars with trolleys selling these toys and balloons, and only buy from people wearing official tabards and signs, we cannot only get the carnival to continue in the future, we can also make more significant donations to local groups and charities.

“Please remember, Wellington Carnival is a not-for-profit organisation – all our committee members are volunteers – as are the marshals that assist us from other towns – and every penny raised after the deduction of running costs is donated to deserving local groups and charities. Let’s work together to keep this money in our town.”

See next week’s WWN for a preview of Wellington Carnival, including details of parking restrictions and road closures that will be in place during the evening.