Tackling the decline in use of cash and finding a new home are two big issues facing one of the Isle of Wight’s oldest carnivals in 2025.
Sandown Carnival, founded in 1889, presents its annual report this week when chair, Paul Coueslant, will tell the non-profit group’s AGM that it’s vital to find new ways of maintaining fundraising income.
Coueslant: A noticeable decline in cash donations
Paul says,
“For decades, like other Island carnivals, we’ve relied on cash from bucket collections at our events, but we must face the reality that most spending today is done by card and we’ve seen a noticeable decline in cash donations since 2022.”
Refurbishment of High Street fundraising shop
Statistics suggest that fewer than one in five spending transactions in the UK today involve cash and the Carnival is taking steps to plug the gap. The annual report states.
“Online donations have been an option for a few years now via the website and in autumn 2024, we went further when we refurbished our High Street fundraising shop, investing in a new till for cashless transactions’.”
The report stresses that using cash will remain an option for customers and donors.
Threatened loss of storage site
Another problem looming for the Carnival is the threatened loss of their Isle of Wight Council-owned float-building and storage site in Sandown, a facility they’ve relied on for around half a century.
The site is earmarked by Southern Water for a new water recycling development, likely to feature in a planning application later this year. The report says,
“At the time of writing, it looks like we’ll have to move out before the end of 2025 and find a suitable alternative location for 2026.”
A series of successes
Despite the challenges, the report highlights a series of successes in 2024, including a spectacular Illuminated Carnival parade and a well attended Sandown Bay Regatta, ‘an event which continues to grow since we took its organisation under our wing in 2022’.
Sandown Carnival’s Olde Tea Shop-themed float won awards across the Island and the Carnival was ‘really pleased to see so many enthusiastic young entrants at our events’.
Regatta Hat Revival
Another big hit was the second year of Sandown’s Regatta Hat Revival, supported by the Arts Council England Lottery Fund and resulting in a spectacular Hat Parade on the beach and exhibitions of big hats at Brading Roman Villa and the Quay Arts Centre.
Where and when
Sandown Carnival Association’s AGM takes place on Saturday 25th January 2025, 2.30pm, upstairs at Sandown Library, 119 High Street PO36 8AF.
Members of the public are welcome to attend.
News shared by Paul on behalf of Sandown Carnival Association. Ed
