Carnival’s Income ‘Was Beyond The Wildest Dream’
When Mr. Bernard Palmer eventually got together a committee to sponsor a Rushden carnival, people said that if they made a profit of £100 or £200 and became organised for next year they should be satisfied.

The carnival and fete was held three weeks ago – the amount collected was £1,021 10s.

At a meeting in Rushden Council chamber on Thursday, Mr. Palmer described the result as being “beyond the wildest dreams of any of us.” Mistakes had been made and suggestions had been put forward for improvements next year, but the day had been a great success.

Mr. Palmer thanked the representatives of 23 organisations at the meeting for their efforts, but suggested that next year it would be a good thing if organisations responsible for stalls could be self-supporting and hand over a net sum at the end.

Reviewing the fete, Mr. Palmer felt that the organisation had been too loose and proposed that there should be organisers for each of the several departments who would meet as an executive committee to coordinate arrangements.

Mr. E. M. Brocklebank said that at that time there was a credit balance of £779 11s 6d with outstanding cheques of £43 0s 4d to pay and estimated further expenses of about £60.

Street collections totalled £114 5s 4d, gate money was £197 8s 1d, and a flag-day had raised £70 2s1d.

Programmes raised £178 11s 9d from sales and £55 from advertisements. Entrants for the parade paid fees of £9 15s and prizes returned or not used totalled £17 16s 5d. A dance brought in £4 2s 6d.

The sum of £342 16s 4d was reached by the efforts of the organisers for a competition, handicrafts, photo contest, treasure hunt, dog show, trade exhibition and by the stalls of Toc H, Hall Pensioners, Concord Motor Club, Ladies Circle, Radio and Television Society, Eatons Social Club, Rushden Town FC, Chapmans, YMCA and the Inner Wheel.

Mr. Brocklebank said he was disappointed that there had been insufficient helpers at the gates and that hundreds of people had entered without paying.

“We shall definitely have to do something about turnstiles next year,” said the chairman, Mr. A. Norman Groome.

Mr. Brocklebank said that more street collectors would be needed in 1959. He was offered more collecting tins by the Rushden and District Clubs’ Blind and Crippled Fund and by the Rushden branch of the Royal Air Forces Association, if there were enough people to take them.

Distribution
Distribution of the money to the town’s deserving causes will be decided at a later date. Organisations feeling that a donation to them would be justified will be invited to submit claims.

Mr. W. J. A. Peck, Dr. B. W. Paine and Mr. G. Knight were appointed as trustees to supervise the distribution.

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Carnival profit share-out
Over £550 was allocated from the profit on Rushden’s carnival and fete at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Mr. A. Norman Groome, and a balance of £120 remains for the launching of a similar event next year.

The amounts voted were:- Senior Citizens’ Goodwill Committee £250, nine units of Boy Scouts and Boys’ Brigades £10each, six units of Girl Guides and Girls’ Brigades £4 each, St. John Ambulance Brigade £40,United Clubs’ Fund for the Blind and Crippled Children, £20, Town and County Blind Association (Rushden Branch) £20. TB After-Care Committee £20, Toc H £20, RAF Association £10, Royal Artillery Association £10, British Legion Men’s Section £10, British Legion Women’s Section £10, YMCA £10, Rushden Hall Pensioners £10, Moral Welfare Association £10.

Receipts totalled £1,123, and a balance of £674 remained after the meeting of expenses. Principal receipts were: Carnival queen dance £55, sale of enclosures £31, flag day £70, gate money £145, street collection £114, programmes sold in advance £178, programme advertisements £139, attractions at Hall, £352.

Mr. B. R. Palmer (joint organiser) said the ratio of receiptsand expenditure was much better than in neighbouring towns. It was an extremely good fete, and grateful thanks were due to all helpers and the public of Rushden in general. A further substantial sum was expected from the Operatic Society’s supper-dance, and the St. Cecilia Singers had promised a supporting event.

Rules were adopted for the establishment of the fete as an annual event under the financial control of trustees.

In discussion, it was agreed that more street collectors and better gate collectors and better gate arrangements would be needed next time. The chairman said he estimated that £50 was lost last June through people getting in the Hall Grounds without paying.

Mr. Arthur Wright, one of the joint organisers, told the meeting: “We tied one gate up and they took it off its hinges.”

Mr. Palmer was appointed vice-chairman, and Mr. R. Liggins took his place as an organiser.

Mr. Wright, who underlined the need for a stronger organisation next year, said that in view of his recent illness he could not for the moment accept reappointment as an organiser.