Littlehampton bonfire display worth more than 20p

Revellers enjoying the show put an average of just 20p each into collection buckets, raising £7,688, all of which will go to local charities, being collected from the estimated 35-40,000 crowd.

The cost of staging the event has soared, reaching £21,000 this year, and Littlehampton Bonfire Society (LBS) is having to tighten its belt after losing grants, worth £1,000 each, from both Arun District Council and the Sussex Community Foundation, due to cutbacks.

Society secretary Richard Cooper said: “Funding is getting increasingly difficult and is only going to get harder. Cost unavoidably rise, and funding is being squeezed.

“It gets harder and harder every year.”

He added the society did not want to cut corners in order to save money.

“Littlehampton is so lucky to have this event.

“We go to similar events around the county and, although we are probably biased, think ours is the best. What we put on is fantastic.

“We want to maintain that standard. We want Littlehampton to have a top-class event, but we need support.”

If everyone did what they could, whether through sponsorship, a donation, or voluntary work, it would give the event, due to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2012, a secure future, Richard added.

“We are a very small core of people who work uncountable man hours, voluntarily, to put the event on, and all we are asking is that the community gets behind us.

Arun Southcoast Judo Club, 1087 (Arun Valley) Squadron Air Training Corps, Arun Dolphins Swimming Club for the disabled, Sussex Tornados, the Alzheimer’s Society Centre Club and Jamie’s Wish are the beneficiaries of this year’s collection.

“We wanted to raise £10,000 in 2010,” said Richard, “but it was down on last year, which was £8,051. It is disappointing.”

He added many people who watched the fireworks from West Beach may have missed the collection buckets.

“Anyone who would like to make a donation to the society’s funds may place it in a collection bucket at David O. Jones Sports, in High Street, until November 30,” said Richard.