Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
Graham, Tom and Ian
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What were the local issues four decades ago?
Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
What were the local issues four decades ago?
Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
Gatley Festival thrives despite a breezy day
by Lib Dem team on 4 July, 2010
The day of the Gatley Festival (or, technically, the Gatley Fun day, since the festival has been running for the last week). I spent most of the day on the field, but still put in a small fraction of the effort the volunteer organisers have been making over the last few weeks and months.
My small part in today’s proceedings was to help run the Lib Dem stand (a tombola by the entrance) and helping to set up and pack away the Cubs coconut shy and refreshments in the scout hut.
Setting up in the morning we all got pretty nervous: grey skies and gusting winds didn’t bode well. In the end, the weather held up (just) and a good time was had by all.
Frustrations included putting up an enormous ten foot wide sign directing people to the scout hut for refreshments, only to have the hospital bus park across the path, blocking the sign and virtually assuring we had no passing trade. We’ve never quite managed to get large numbers to the scout hut (though it’s probably the one part of the fun day that would benefit from a downpour). Still, we’ve got the sign for next year and we’ll be trying again.
The coconut shy also ended up being tucked away – perhaps we needed a signpost banged into the ground.
Pam, Mark and I all had a good look around everything.
I did embarrassingly badly on the bike obstacle course – turns out my road cycling skills were no good dealing with ramps, rumble strips and slaloms – I just don’t have the co-ordination.
Despite blocking our path to the scout hut, the bus from South Manchester University Hospital (previously Wythenshawe Hospital) was great – an educational resource for anyone wanting to know more about first aid, with lots of models. We’ll be looking at getting them along to give the Cubs some fun practical first aid training.
The Police were there all day (a special hello to Sgt Darren Spurgeon, someone else admitting to reading my blog). We had a bit of excitement at the end when the fire brigade had to return and deal with a burning gas canister, but it was all sorted.
Here’s a great 10 minute video of the festival (you can find it on YouTube to, it was taken by Derek Brennan)
View Gatley Festival in a larger map
Hello Iain,
As one of the organisers of the Gatley Festival field I would like to answer a few points that you raised. It was my understanding that the scouts asked for the position that they were placed in. As I was on the field from 0700 am till the end had anyone raised the issue of positioning with me then I would have endeavoured to find another site on the field. As for the bus as I’m sure you saw yourself it was the only available space left on the car park, again I would of assisted in repositioning the sign had it been brought to my attention. I would be happy to discuss any positioning of any signs and/or stalls for next years festival.
Regards, Jim
Hi Jim, I’ve got no complaints about the organisation.
The coconut shy is where we wanted it. We weren’t expecting the carnival trucks to come up so close, but, there’s always going to be something like that and I was really thinking we could better use a sign next time. We might think about whether it could go further up the field (near to where the BMX track was) but that’s for us to say.
With the bus, it was frustrating that it blocked the path to the scout hut and obscured our sign, but I agree it couldn’t go anywhere else (we probably should have asked them to reverse a few feet after the fire engine left for the first time).
I’d like to figure out how to direct more people to the Scout Hut, and we’ve got a great sign if we can find somewhere to put it where it’s seen by people, but we can see what we can figure out next year.