The Swanage Carnival committee has revealed it raised nearly £30,000 for charity in 2022 – more money than ever before, despite increased costs and two successive years of cancellations in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid restrictions.
The eight day extravaganza of traditional carnival events, music and aeroplane flypasts went ahead at the beginning of the school summer holidays in 2022, attracting huge crowds boosted by good weather and the elation of being able to get together again.
The charities and good causes are presented with generous cheques
A total of £29,150 raised
On Friday 7th October 2022 at The Mowlem in Swanage, the committee had the satisfaction of presenting local good causes with the profits from the bumper event. A total of £29,150 was split between 20 charities.
This compared favourably to 2019 when £28,800 was distributed to charities.
The town was packed during carnival week at the beginning of the summer school holidays in 2022
“Record crowds and record weather”
Welcoming the charities and committee members to the presentation evening, Swanage Carnival volunteer and local councillor Chris Tomes said:
“Who would have believed back at our last presentation night in October 2019 it would be three long years before we were able to reflect on another carnival week.
“But as the world struggled to deal with Covid 19, in the background the carnival committee was working tirelessly to make sure when carnival returned it would be a week to remember.
“Carnival 2022 certainly lived up to the bill with record crowds and record weather making the return of Swanage Carnival eight days to remember. It was not just a week the committee can be proud of but one the whole town can be proud of.”
The Swanage Carnival procession along the seafront
Who got what
Chosen charities for 2022
- 4th Swanage Rainbows: £1,000
- Lewis Manning Hospice Care: £1,000
- St Georges Pre-School: £1,000
- Swanage Community Defibrillator Partnership: £1,000
- Swanage Youth Cricket: £1,000
- Swanage Primary School: £1,000
- Swanage Sea Rowing Club: £1,000
- Swanage Town and Herston Football Club: £1,000
- Friends of Dorset Young Carers: £1,500
- Herston Village Hall: £1,500
- Swanage Area Dementia Friends: £1,500
- Swanage and Wareham Hockey Club: £1,500
- Swanage Linking Lives: £1,500
- Tyler’s Friends: £1,500
- Allsorted: £2,000
- Swanage and St Albans Head Stations: £2,000
- Willdoes: £2,000
Annual charities
- Swanage Stroke Club: £500
- Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance: £1,500
Chair’s nominated charity
- The Stanley Purser Ward at Swanage Hospital: £3,500
Fireworks three times a week during Swanage Carnival
“Bigger and better than ever”
Swanage Carnival chair Maria Foot said:
“Our aim was to make this year bigger and better than ever and I believe this was achieved. We were overwhelmed by the number of people attending the events, entering the competitions and generally donating their time to fundraising.
“To stage Swanage Carnival would not be possible without the help of many people including Swanage Town Council, Dorset Council and the emergency services, and my thanks goes to them.
“I must also thank our sponsors, local organisations, businesses and everyone who has supported us throughout the year. We have a tremendous community spirit in Swanage!”
4th Swanage Rainbows: £1,000 presented to Karen North
Lewis Manning Hospice Care: £1,000 presented to Heidi Stearn (middle) and Vicki Gray (right)
St Georges Pre-school: £1,000 presented to Sabrina Moss
Swanage Community Defibrillator Partnership: £1,000 presented to Ian Brown
Swanage Youth Cricket: £1,000 presented to Craig Wells
Swanage Sea Rowing Club: £1,000 presented to Lynne Harris
Swanage Town and Herston Football Club: £1,000 presented to Barry Audley
Friends of Dorset Young Carers: £1,500 presented to Val Hodge (left) and Debbie Dunford (middle)
Swanage Area Dementia Friends: £1,500 presented to Mike Bonfield (far left) and the dementia friends committee
Swanage and Wareham Hockey Club: £1,500 presented to Ed Ellwood
Swanage Linking Lives: £1,500 presented to Patricia Liles
Tyler’s Friends: £1,500 presented to John Rust
Allsorted: £2,000 presented to Jess (left) and Andy (middle)
Swanage and St Albans Head Stations: £2,000 presented to Jonathan Foulkes
Willdoes: £2,000 presented to Neil Peters
Swanage Stroke Club: £500 presented to Margaret Pratt (left) and Pauline Dorland (right)
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance: £1,500 presented to Linda Hernandez
The Stanley Purser Ward at Swanage Hospital: £3,500 presented to Alison Bush (left) and colleagues
Cheques were also handed to representatives from Swanage Coastguard, RNLI, police and fire service to recognise their contribution to making this event possible
