School raises funds and community spirits with a fireworks night
'We raised £2,471 and created a community event with our fireworks night'
We first mentioned it on social media in May to give advance warning and secure the date in case anyone else decided to do something locally. Closer to the time we put up posters, sent out letters in book bags, plugged it on Facebook and put a sign up in town. Our local Festivals Association was a huge help in spreading the word.
The fireworks display was supplied and run by local company Dragonfire Ltd, who gave us a lot of advice as well as a spectacular display. We held the event the weekend after Bonfire Night as the fireworks were much cheaper. We ran it at our local rifle club and gates opened at 4.30pm. The bonfire was lit at 5.30pm and the 15-minute fireworks show began at 6pm. We held it early so younger children could come and enjoy it.
A local paramedic attended as our first aider and the Girl Guides volunteered as marshals. We charged adults £5 and children £3, with under-threes going free. We offered advanced tickets with a 50p discount, and the ticket doubled as entry into a raffle, drawn on the evening, to win the chance to push the plunger to start the display! We sent ticket order forms home in book bags, and the Tourist Information Centre and a local café sold tickets, too.
We sold glow sticks and hot drinks, while a local pub ran the bar and a café ran the barbecue. They both gave us a generous donation after the event. Sponsorship from a local business brought in an additional £600.
Our main cost was the fireworks at £1,500.We hired toilets, bought glow sticks and refreshments, paid £75 for an advertising sign and made a donation to the rifle club for use of their site. The outgoings totalled £1,945 and we made a profit of £2,471.We donated £100 to the Girl Guides for volunteering and £346 to local community projects, leaving us with around £2,000.We've used £1,000 to pay for our magical "Crooked House" playhouse in the woods at the school.
This year, we've invited two other local schools to join us. They will each run a refreshments stall and keep whatever they make with no charge - something we hope will encourage more spectators and make it a real community event.'
Gemma Mitchell, Chair, Brockhampton Primary School PTA, Bromyard, Worcester (158 pupils)