West Marsh fun day hailed a huge success despite early funding setback

ORGANISERS of the annual Duke of York Gardens Community Day hailed this year's event a great success – just two months after saving it from oblivion.

As reported, West Marsh Forward announced in April that it could no longer afford to run the annual fun day.

Manning a stall: Jez O'Kane, Kerry Stores, Vicky Hardy and Liz Dugard, from LINk

But volunteers from community group Friends Of The Freshney stepped into the breach to ensure the event would go ahead.

And local residents turned out in numbers to enjoy the wide array of attractions, which included pony rides, a bouncy castle, a climbing wall, parkour and caged football.

Roy Laughton, from Friends Of The Freshney, said: "It's a pure community day for everybody to get together. We've had a few difficulties along the way but it's come together very well. We've had a great response from the public and I think everyone has enjoyed themselves."

"We know the organisers of the Festival Of Flight down the road have done a sterling job so we are very grateful to all those that have turned out to support us."

Fellow organiser Keith Watkin said: "It has come together in a really short time – six to eight weeks – and to get the response that we've had has been fantastic.

"The article in the Grimsby Telegraph was a great help and Asda has been really supportive. The great thing is that people are already asking us when the next one is going to be."

Sam Weston, a community life colleague for Asda, said the supermarket was planning to organise a similar event at the same venue in August.

She said: "Asda launched its Community Life Scheme in March and it is all about showing our support for the community.

"I was getting out and about and I spoke to Friends Of The Freshney who told me about what they were planning to do.

"I said I would support them in any way I could and I think the event has done really well considering the weather we've had in the week leading up to it.

"This year we've only got a little stand but in future years we are hoping to make the event bigger and better."

Neil Hutson, from Team Reality, which set up a parkour course for youngsters, said: "There's been a great response and all the kids have been having fun. The main reason we are here is to promote the fact that we have secured some funding for a parkour park on the other side of the football pitches.

"Most of the people we speak to think it's a great idea so hopefully we will have it ready by the end of the summer."

Sophie Brown, chief instructor at Cottagers Plot Equestrian Centre, which offered pony rides for youngsters, said: "We were here last year and it was so successful we came back for another year. "The ponies have been going all day, and there has been a continuous queue. It's been really popular.

"The children have enjoyed the ponies and all those who have paid for a ride today will get a free 20-minute taster session at the stables."

George Nicholson, of Hanover Gardens, said: "I have lived here for a year and a half so this is the second time I've been to the community day. It's a great event and I think it's really important we keep it.

"Everybody gets together."