Under-threat Hove festival raising funds for next year's event

The St Ann's Well Garden Spring Festival is run by a charity which was set up to raise money for park improvement projects and to put on free events.

But Kate Packham, festival organiser, said: “Unfortunately, we cannot run this event anymore with funding. It’s very sad, but we are hoping there may be some businesses out there that could help save our event for next year.”

The Friends of St Ann's Well Garden said it had to cancel its hugely popular Welloween last October after failing to secure enough funding.

The spring festival is a free event with children’s activities, market stalls and a well-being retreat area, and welcomes over 10,000 people every year.

But Kate said this year’s event, held last Saturday, didn’t even break even on the cost of the event.

“You only need to witness the sheer joy on the children’s faces throughout the day and see the crowds watching the main stage in pleasure – and usually some May sunshine, to realise this is one of the city’s best loved community events still going today in Brighton and Hove,” she said.

To find out more about the festival, and to donate, visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/StAnnsWellSpringFestival