Sompting Festival hailed a sunny success

A popular two-day festival held in Sompting over the sunny weekend has been hailed a big success.
Sompting Festival 2018Sompting Festival 2018
Sompting Festival 2018

Sompting Festival returned with a busy programme of performances, activities and competitions.

Anne Godley, chairman of Sompting Parish Council, which organises the event, said: “We were really pleased with how it went.

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“The entertainment was enjoyed by most people, we received a lot of really positive feedback, particularly about Folk in Adur.”

Sompting Festival 2018Sompting Festival 2018
Sompting Festival 2018

The Flash Company, an Irish band who performed on Saturday night, were also very popular.

Another highlight was a mounted display by the Sussex Yeomanry.

“They were so entertaining, really gripping,” Mrs Godley said. “They used a sound system so they were able to explain about the history of 1914. It was very interesting.”

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An annual display by Lancing and Sompting Pastfinders at the Harriet Johnson Centre ‘came up trump’ and this year included football memories from years gone by.

Sompting Festival 2018Sompting Festival 2018
Sompting Festival 2018

The Saturday event also included a bouncy castle, a tombola and food stalls.

During the festival, a plaque was unveiled in honour of councillor Joyce Burns who sadly died three years ago.

Mrs Godley said: “She was a councillor of longevity and a real champion for older people. She would do anything for anyone.”

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On Sunday, a church service was held on the recreation ground followed by a bake-off competition, which was won by Shirly Cheal. Her prize was a flower basket donated by the Lions.

Sompting Festival 2018Sompting Festival 2018
Sompting Festival 2018

Blue Dawg provided the entertainment for the day and a mobile farm with animals including sheep, donkeys and a goose kept children engaged.

Councillors on Sompting Parish Council also used the weekend as an opportunity to engage with residents.

Mrs Godley said: “We want to try and really find out what Sompting expects of us as a parish council.”

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Donations have not been fully counted but Mrs Godley estimates between £900 and £1,000 was raised, which will be split between Help For Heroes and the RNLI.

Mrs Godley thanked Sompting Big Local, Sompting Estate, JSPC Computer Services and Michael Jones for sponsoring the event as well as the volunteers who donated their time.

She said: “All the volunteers in the festival committee worked long and hard hours, really the success was down to their resilience in the hot conditions. I’m grateful for all their support.”

She hopes the festival will return next year and encouraged members of the community get involved.

“We would really like residents in Sompting to come on board and really participate,” she said.

Anyone keen to volunteer in 2019, contact Mrs Godley at [email protected]

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