Star Comment: Support Damson in distress
Damsons grow on trees. Damson Fayres do not.
Like all such events, they have to be organised, nurtured, and supported.
Remember that this bank holiday weekend when you are out and about in Shropshire and Mid Wales at one of the many events which are being staged.
They do not just happen. Somebody is behind them, and they are the result of a lot of hard work and devotion of time and energy, generally by people who receive no reward and expect no reward.
Market Drayton Medieval Damson Fayre is a day of entertainment, including re-enactments, jousting, and maypole dancing. It is in its third year this year – if, that is, the second event does not prove to be the last.
Because despite attracting an estimated 8,000 to 9,000 in its first year when it replaced the town's carnival, there is a big question mark over whether the 2015 event will go ahead.
Mark Whittle, chairman of Market Drayton Chamber of Trade and Commerce which organises it, says it needs financial backing.
"It needs £3,000 to get going, and the cost to run it is £4,500," he says.
In previous years there has been financial support from the town council and local businesses. If they are watching the pennies carefully, who can blame them?
The fayre is free to attend. You could argue that the way forward is to slap a charge on the people of Market Drayton. Doing that could be the kiss of death anyway, destroying it as a community get-together.
Mr Whittle says in terms of scale there is nothing else to compare in Drayton town centre.
What we are left with is an age-old problem. Creating vibrant towns in which things are happening is an investment in which there are returns, some of which are intangible, and some of which are more tangible. The intangible return is to do with fun, entertainment, pride of place and community spirit, and the tangible returns come if people at these events spend money and contribute to the local economy.
In the case of Market Drayton, will what Drayton gets from the Medieval Damson Fayre be worth £4,500, and if it will not, are there people in Drayton who are willing, for want of a better way of expressing it, to stump up £3,000 to £4,500 out of the goodness of their hearts?
While letting such community events fade away may save money, towns are often the poorer for their loss.
