THE chair of Winterbourne Down Village Carnival has stepped down, after 34 years of active service on the organising committee.
John Turner broke the news to fellow volunteers as the committee held their annual meeting.
It came after the committee reported that this year’s carnival, which had the biggest crowds seen yet, had raised £3,200 for chosen charity, Suicide Prevention UK.
The money raised will be used to support operating the National Suicide Prevention helpline and expanding patrols at high-risk locations.
Local churches Winterbourne Down Methodist and All saints received donations of £1,000 and £750 respectively.
And with some new volunteers joining, the carnival is set to return next year, ” bigger and better than before”.
Carnival committee spokesperson Kathryn Hopes said: “With the popularity of the carnival increasing exponentially, our existing members have been working above and beyond the call of duty to keep the Carnival running safely and smoothly.
“And of course it should be recognised that our chair, John Turner, has taken on that responsibility for a number of years and therefore it was very sad to hear that John will be stepping down as WD Carnival Chair.
“John has been an active member of the committee for a whopping 34 years, so it is only right to pay a particular tribute to him.
Immense dedication
“Vice-chair Pete Allchorne gave a very poignant farewell speech, remarking on John’s immense hard work and dedication to ensure the success of the carnival for so many years.
“Steering us through the challenging pandemic years, John never faltered and the carnival survived, when many others did not: it’s a true testament to his leadership.
“It is without any doubt that the carnival has since gone from strength to strength.
“John remained steadfast in his resolve to keep the ethos of our village carnival alive whilst injecting his own personality and new ideas.
“On behalf of the committee and the entire extended community who have enjoyed the carnival for so many years, we offer our sincere thanks and look forward to welcoming him back to the carnival, next time as a visitor!”
Local resident Nick Roden has volunteered to take on the role next year.
Picture: Outgoing chair John Turner (front, centre) with the Winterbourne Down Village Carnival committee.