Eynsham is fortunate to have a talented, creative population. The annual Village Show, fast approaching on 17 September, provides a great opportunity to celebrate some of this creativity and recognise local people across categories of traditional crafts, gardening and baking, no matter their age and experience.
Unfortunately, Eynsham Village Show is facing an existential crisis and the organisers have concerns over the long-term sustainability of the event. It is for this reason that they applied for a Parish Council grant in the recent application round to source some additional funds that could be spent on safeguarding the show for the future, particularly focusing on advertising and PR. The Parish Council was thrilled to be able to oblige and the Show was given £250.
The show had to be cancelled in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions and while the 2021 event was able to go ahead, it ran at a loss, with fewer entrants than the organisers had hoped. It was particularly noticeable that certain areas within the community were underrepresented, suggesting that some people may have felt disconnected from the event or just weren’t aware of its existence.
“It was a shame to see such low numbers as the Village Show is created to promote community harmony and try and maintain local traditional crafts, as well as encourage young people to keep developing their skills,” says Fay Taylor-Ball, Chair of Eynsham Village Show. “There are so many different categories to enter, from food and drink, vegetables or flower arranging, up to baking or photography. Everyone is good at something and so there’s no reason not to take part.”
The organisers plan to use their additional £250 on PR and communication efforts to promote the upcoming 2022 show on 17 September. Full details of this year’s event have been shared online, where entry forms and FAQs are available to guide those interested in taking part. A whole range of cups and prizes are up for grabs in a wide range of categories, with people of all ages encouraged to get involved.
The Parish Council is pleased to be able to support an important and enjoyable community event and we hope many of our residents feel inspired to enter or simply visit on the day to admire the handiwork and skills of local people.
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