ORGANISERS of Wellington Carnival, being staged on Saturday, are urging spectators to buy toys and other items from official sources rather than street pedlars.

They say profits from official merchandise sold by volunteers goes to charities and groups in the local community, which benefit the elderly, less advantaged, sick and children, among others.

Carnival organiser Dave Rylatt said: “An estimated £10,000 of LED toys and balloons are sold at Wellington Carnival each year. The public wrongly think that by purchasing one of these toys from pedlars they are contributing to carnival funds.

“They are not. In the five years I have been organising Wellington Carnival, we have not received a penny from these people.”

For the full story see this week’s Wellington Weekly News.