Ashington Festival Grants

After a successful Festival this year, the Festival Committee wrote to village groups and organisations offering a grant to buy any equipment they required.
Four organisations applied and were successful, they are as follows:

Ashington Horticultural Society was awarded £96 for 2 banners to advertise their Open Gardens Weekend in 2012.
Ashington Tiny Tots was awarded £175 for new play equipment.
Ashington Community Centre was awarded £238.80p to replace a broken router for the access system.
Ashington Scouts was awarded £500 toward a large push up marquee.

Ashington Carnival 2011

The sun shone on Ashington Festival this year, and thousands of people came along making a fantastic day and a real community spirit. The Carnival was one of our biggest with a lot of floats and walking groups, majorettes, belly dancers, vintage vehicles and lots of people in fancy dress. And didn’t our Princess and Attendants look beautiful and her Pageboys very handsome. The Best Float was won by Chanctonbury Playgroup and the Best Walking group was won by Alfie’s Formula One Racing Team and the overall winner of the two groups who won the £100 prize was the Chanctonbury Playgroup, well done to them. The winner of the Fancy Dress was Cruella De vil, Annie Francis.

The Recreation Ground was full of all sorts of stalls, animals and sideshows and Harris Brother’s funfair. The main arena act was a brilliant mountain bike stunt display team who stunned the audience with their dare devil stunts.

In the evening the atmosphere carried on with a live band and disco outside, and a fantastic firework display, one of the best yet, which marked the end of a brilliant day.

The Festival Committee have written to village clubs and organisations offering them small grants for equipment for their groups as they wish to support village activities.

We would like to say a big thank you to all our sponsors and to everyone who worked hard to help us on the day, making it a great success that it was. And we hope to see you all next year on the 18th of August 2012.

Ashington Carnival Princess 2011

Fun was had by all when Ashington Carnival Princess was chosen at a Children’s Party/Disco which was held in Ashington Community Centre. The Party was very well attended and everyone had a good time dancing and playing games which was organised by Just 4 Kids Disco. There was a raffle, lucky dip, glow sticks plus a tuck shop and some refreshments for the adults.

The Ashington Carnival Princess 2011 is Holly Neller age 10, and her two Attendants are Danielle Cork age 10 and Georgia Lund age 8. And the two Pageboys are Freddie Harvey age 5 and Nathan Baker age 8 all attend Ashington C of E School.
The Judges were two members of staff from Fowlers Estate Agents who said it was not easy as there were so many children to choose from.

Ashington Festival is being held on the 20th of August, with the Carnival starting at 1.30pm. The day includes Arena acts, with the main act being a Mountain Bike Stunt and Display Team sponsored by Fowlers Estate Agents. There will also be a Car Boot Sale, Car Show, Flower Show, Fun Dog Show, Funfair, animals and lots of stalls and sideshows. And in the evening a live band will be playing outside called ‘Champagne SuperNova’, and a large firework display sponsored by Charles Muddle Ltd. For details phone Margaret on 01903 892633

3rd Annual Ashington Golf Tournament

The Festival Committee would like to extend its thanks to all of those who took part in this year’s golf tournament which was once again superbly masterminded by Tony Harvey.
There were 19 avid players on the day and by all accounts everyone had a fantastic time.
The winner this year was Steve Burston and you can see a photograph of him receiving his prize from last year’s Festival Princess, Chloe Ball.

ASHINGTON Festival 2010

Despite the rain Ashington Festival was as big as ever this year. Starting with a large Carnival procession leaving the top roundabout, north of Ashington at 1.30pm. Holding the Carnival Banner was Dave Alford and David Jackson in Cowboy and Indian costumes.  ‘The Surrey Pipe Band’ was the leading band for the procession followed by the Carnival Princess and her two Attendants and two Pageboys. There was a lot of colourful floats, bands, majorette troops also vintage vehicles, clowns and lots more.

The Festival was held on Ashington Recreation Ground, Church Lane which started at 2.30 pm after the arrival of the Carnival procession. There was arena events with the main act being Stallions of Substance an act that combined sisters, stallions and a little brother on a motorbike the act included humour, stunts and the obvious love and trust between horses and riders. The Wessex International Majorettes danced a dance routine, also ‘Charlie’ the clown was there with lots of children’s entertainment.
In the Community Centre was the Flower Show where you were able to see a beautiful display of vegetables, flowers and craft items all at a very high standard.

On the Recreation Ground we had Harris Brothers fun fair, a car boot sale, side-shows, craft and charity stalls, a children’s farm with lots of animals to see and also ferrets and Bungee Trampolines. Near the Recreation Ground was an American and British Classic, Hot Rod and Custom Car Show. Also there was a Fun Dog Show.

ASHINGTON Carnival Princess 2010

Ashington Carnival Princess was chosen at a Childrens Party/Disco which was held in Ashington Community Centre. The Party was very well attended and everyone had a good time dancing and playing games which were organised by Retrospect Sound. There were Lucky Dips, ‘Tattoos’ and glow sticks, plus a tuck shop, and some refreshments for the adults.

The Ashington Carnival Princess 2010 is Chloe Bull aged 11, and her two Attendants are Amy Burroughs (aged 10) and India Manville, aged 9. The two Pageboys are Cavan Sopp (aged 7) and James Newland, aged 5. All of them attend Ashington CofE Junior School or Rydon Community College.

Fowlers Estate Agents is one of the major sponsors of Ashington Festival this year, and two of their staff judged the Carnival Princess contest. Wendy Menzies complained jokingly that it had been a really difficult task, as there were so many children, and they were all so lovely!

Ashington Festival 2010 is being held on the 21st of August, with the Carnival Procession starting at 1.30pm. The day includes Arena acts, Car Boot Sale, Car Show, Flower Show, Fun Dog Show, Funfair, animals and lots of stalls and sideshows. The fun continues right through the evening, with a live band playing outside and a fantastic firework display. For details phone Margaret on 01903 892633 or visit our website at ashingtonfestival.co.uk.

The attached picture shows (L to R): James Newland; India Manville; Chloe Bull; Amy Burroughs; Cavan Sopp

ASHINGTON Casino Night Vegas in Ashington 2010

The First ASHINGTON Casino Night took place in the Community Centre on the 17th March A great fun night was had by all with Amy Harvey taking the overall prize for the most Gaming Chips at the end of the Evening

Amy won overnight accommodation for two at the Amering Manor Hotel
Food for the evening was by Gastro Catering (a fabulous Hog Roast) and the gaming tables were supplied by Big Deal Entertainments.

The only bad news on the night was the fact that only 65 villagers attended so the fund-raiser made a loss.

Everybody that came had a brilliant night so watch out for the next one come along and support your Festival April 2010

ASHINGTON Golf Day 2010

Saturday 1st May saw the second ASHINGTON Festival Golf Day.
The day took place at west Chiltington Golf Club
Overall winner on the day was Steve Burston with 39 points
Longest drive went to Dave Farnes and nearest the pin went to Mark Campbell
A great time was had by all 34 golfers attending and profits went to the Festival Fund
“We had 19 golfers last year and 34 this time let’s hope we can grow this year on year as the Festival Fund needs the money” said event organiser Tony Harvey