Saltash gets cash for its festival year
A programme planned to promote Saltash as an entertainment venue has received a boost - with a grant which has ensured the finance is now in place for its events to proceed.
The news was broken just before one highly successful event last weekend, this being the regatta which attracted around 12,000 people over the two days.
The just over £6,000 offer of a grant has been agreed by the European Regional Development fund through Caradon area Leader 11. It was greeted with delight by chairman of Saltash Festival '99, Sue Hooper - and boosted money already donated by other major sponsors Caradon council, Saltash town council and PROSPER.
Mrs Hooper said the Leader input was 'very important' and formed almost 25 per cent of the funding. She said she was exceptionally pleased with the numbers the regatta had attracted, which had made it the second biggest such event in Cornwall.
The money does allow entertainment planned for the rest of the summer to fall into place. Spokesperson for the Festival, Pip Miller, said the intention was to heighten recognition of Saltash as a tourist destination in its own right - as a town worth visiting, complete with shops and the attractions of the Waterside area etc.
A concert is to be held in Wesley church on June 26, with an open air concert at the Waterside on July 11, while the national water ski championships are booked for July 18 together with the Tamar Trotters' l0k run and a brass band concert.
During the eclipse period arts and crafts fayres and exhibitions are to take place, with other attractions, to catch the eye of the visitors and ensure that Saltash is a chosen destination.