Newsline Spring 2005

Although I may be prejudiced because of my involvement with the Lights, I feel that this Christmas and New Year has been the best display ever. We have received a large number of compliments and this encourages us when we are putting up the lights in the cold, wind and rain. We hope you are pleased with the new displays we bought in 2004. We hope to buy some more for 2005, but a lot depends upon how much money we can raise. We are also considering expanding the local input at the switch-on ceremony. If it is feasible to do this, I will give more details in the next issue of Newsline, so Watch This Space!!!
We are finding that the cost of insuring our events, and the volunteers involved, including when erecting and dismantling the lights, is becoming a significant cost to us. We know we are not alone with this problem, as many local volunteer groups are suffering in the same way. The fact that others also have the problem is of no consolation to us; we will still have to raise the money to pay our premiums. If any local business or company would wish to sponsor our lights by paying for the insurance premium, it would be of enormous benefit to us. There are a large number of businesses in Shefford and some do sponsor us in various ways. However, sponsoring our insurance premium really would be something extra special to us. More details can be obtained from Lewis Birt, tel. 01462 811689
Our money comes to us by way of grants, donations and fundraising events that we hold ourselves. Speaking of fundraising events, our next event is on Friday 18th March 2005, at the Community Hall, Ampthill Road, Shefford and is a Race Night. It will start at 7.30pm and there will be eight races shown, all this for £5 per ticket, including supper. Details of ticket availability will be given later. We hope you will support us in our efforts to raise money for the lights. We know there is great pressure upon people to donate money to all sorts of events and charities, but we hope you feel that you can support us in our efforts to brighten up the town at what is normally, weather wise, a dull and miserable time of the year. Please put the date in your diary NOW!
We would like to thank all the volunteers who helped erect and dismantle the Lights, and also Coral at the White Hart Hotel, who so generously provided the volunteers with coffee, tea and biscuits. Mary Fraser started this generosity when she was licensee and Tony and Coral have continued the generosity. Unless you are a volunteer you will not appreciate how much we look forward to that break when we can dry out, warm up and prepare ourselves again to go out into the elements to continue erecting or dismantling the Lights.
We hope you all have a very good 2005, and look forward to seeing you at our fund raising events.

Andrew Boatwright
Committee Member

SHEFFORD SUMMER FAYRE
We are now coming up to the time when we start getting busy preparing for the Summer Fayre, which will be held on Sunday 12th June 2005, in the afternoon. Please put the date in your diary. Now is the time to start planning for your stall or arena event. Local groups that have previously had stalls at the Summer Fayre will be contacted in due course, but if any group that has not previously had a stall, or has missed some years, wish to be considered for this year's Fayre, please contact Nita Brown tel. 01462 811422 for more details. More details about the Fayre will be given later, but we do understand that the Town Council will again be organising a parade through the streets of Shefford. Although the Summer Fayre Committee is in no way connected to the Town Council as we are two entirely separate entities, we do co-operate with each other to try and ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible on the day. Andrew Boatwright Committee Member
SHEFFORD CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Although I may be prejudiced because of my involvement with the Lights, I feel that this Christmas and New Year has been the best display ever. We have received a large number of compliments and this encourages us when we are putting up the lights in the cold, wind and rain. We hope you are pleased with the new displays we bought in 2004. We hope to buy some more for 2005, but a lot depends upon how much money we can raise. We are also considering expanding the local input at the switch-on ceremony. If it is feasible to do this, I will give more details in the next issue of Newsline, so Watch This Space!!! We are finding that the cost of insuring our events, and the volunteers involved, including when erecting and dismantling the lights, is becoming a significant cost to us. We know we are not alone with this problem, as many local volunteer groups are suffering in the same way. The fact that others also have the problem is of no consolation to us; we will still have to raise the money to pay our premiums. If any local business or company would wish to sponsor our lights by paying for the insurance premium, it would be of enormous benefit to us. There are a large number of businesses in Shefford and some do sponsor us in various ways. However, sponsoring our insurance premium really would be something extra special to us. More details can be obtained from Lewis Birt, tel. 01462 811689 Our money comes to us by way of grants, donations and fundraising events that we hold ourselves. Speaking of fundraising events, our next event is on Friday 18th March 2005, at the Community Hall, Ampthill Road, Shefford and is a Race Night. It will start at 7.30pm and there will be eight races shown, all this for £5 per ticket, including supper. Details of ticket availability will be given later. We hope you will support us in our efforts to raise money for the lights. We know there is great pressure upon people to donate money to all sorts of events and charities, but we hope you feel that you can support us in our efforts to brighten up the town at what is normally, weather wise, a dull and miserable time of the year. Please put the date in your diary NOW! We would like to thank all the volunteers who helped erect and dismantle the Lights, and also Coral at the White Hart Hotel, who so generously provided the volunteers with coffee, tea and biscuits. Mary Fraser started this generosity when she was licensee and Tony and Coral have continued the generosity. Unless you are a volunteer you will not appreciate how much we look forward to that break when we can dry out, warm up and prepare ourselves again to go out into the elements to continue erecting or dismantling the Lights. We hope you all have a very good 2005, and look forward to seeing you at our fund raising events. Andrew Boatwright Committee Member