Romsey Carnival & Lanterns in danger of closing after 40 years

Volunteer-run charity Romsey Carnival & Lanterns, which runs a raft of events in town including the popular carnival and lantern parade, announced it was in danger of closing unless new committee members step up and take over. 

The charity said in a Facebook post on Tuesday, December 24: “It is with great regret that unfortunately, the older existing members of the Romsey Town Carnival & Lanterns committee are standing down.

“They feel that it needs some younger blood and are hoping that some members of the community will be able to take over the running of the committee.

“Romsey Carnival has been running events in Romsey for the local community, raising funds for charity for many years and it would be a shame for this to all end.”

READ MORE: Santa Fun Run in Romsey War Memorial Park marks last event for charity

L to R Vicki Parker, Sylvia Finch, Jamie Allen, Dave Masten, Steve Winter, Martin Finch and John Ray (Image: Keith Woodland) 

The charity’s treasurer, Sylvia Finch, said the strain was due to a lack of donations and the increasing cost of putting on events.

Sylvia said: “It used to be that we raised funds to donate to charities but, now, because of a lack of donations, the money we raise goes to the events.

“We can only donate to a few charities now.”

The treasurer said she was not confident new people could be found to help but she was remaining hopeful. 

She said: “Fingers crossed, to be honest with you.”

Responders to the Christmas Eve post lamented the potential closure of the four-decade-old charity.One user said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the hard work and dedication that you have put in over the years.

“It takes a lot of your time and commitment to Romsey Carnival, to bring us all the fun and joy that you have, whilst raising money for local charities.

“A very sad time, however, thank you for all you have done.”

Another user commented: “Thank you for all you have done for the town, you’ve created some amazing memories for us all.”

Fun at the carnival in 2022 The Romsey Carnival committee organises a wide range of events throughout the year, including the Christmas lantern procession, Halloween fancy dress, the famous Romsey bed race and Santa Runs, bingo and quiz nights, street parties, plus much more.

Its website says: “Every one of the committee team at Romsey Carnival has a deep passion for Romsey and it’s community. If you would like to help out or sponsor future events, we would love to hear from you.” 

Despite the charity’s events being sponsored by several local businesses and the events attracting hundreds of people, the looming financial pressure and the retirement of some of the older committee members means its future is in the balance. 

The last Santa Fun Run (Image: Keith Woodland) Its chairman John Ray has previously called for people to get more involved. Speaking about the last carnival parade, held in May, he said: “We are calling on the wonderful people of Romsey to participate not just as attendees but as active contributors to the smooth running of these carnivals.

We need volunteers to help with marshalling the events, ensuring everything runs efficiently, effectively, and safely. Marshals will play a crucial role in guiding participants during the parades.”

The charity said that if anyone is interested in running the carnival committee, they should get in touch by Wednesday, January 29, the day of the annual general meeting of the Romsey Conservative Club, which will be at 7pm.

Image Credits and Reference: https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/24822863.romsey-carnival-lanterns-danger-closing-forty-years/?ref=rss