PRESS RELEASE- BONFIRE 2015

TRUMPTON IS REBORN!

A voluntary group that raises money for charity through high profile public events has announced ambitious plans for its next project, with the Plough Arts Centre and Macmillan Cancer Support named as the main beneficiaries from the event.

On the August bank holiday weekend 2015, the Great Torrington Cavaliers will be setting fire to a massive replica of “Trumpton”, the village from the popular children’s BBC TV series in the 1960s. The village scene will feature all the famous buildings including Trumpton town hall, the fire station and most importantly, a working version of Windy Millers windmill!

The Cavaliers, who formed in 1970, are internationally famous for their giant themed bonfires. In 2010 they raised over £60,000 by setting fire to a full-sized medieval castle in front of a crowd of 10,000 people. The castle took a year to plan and nearly two years to build. Over 100 local charities and good causes benefited from the event.

Cavalier chairman Steve Young said: “The castle was a huge project but we got there and it was a spectacular show. We’re really looking forward to starting on Trumpton. It will hopefully be a fun build, and it will be the perfect backdrop to various entertainment leading up to the show.”

Director of the Plough Arts Centre Richard Wolfenden-Brown said: We were astonished and delighted to hear that we had been chosen as one of the main beneficiaries of the Cavaliers bonfire. It is uplifting to have the support of the Cavaliers as we strive to raise the substantial sum of £100,000 to replace our 35mm film projector with a state of the art digital projector and associated equipment.”

Richard added: “The determination of Plough supporters, volunteers, staff, Council of Management and the whole local community to make this happen has been a joy to see and the perfect demonstration of how change can happen when people pull together. We are very grateful to the Cavaliers for deciding to support the Plough in this way, which will bring our target much closer and help us to secure our future for the benefit of the town and the wider community.”

There is now nearly two years of work ahead for the Cavaliers. By the summer next year, they hope to have the main structures up and information panels will be on hand to answer questions from curious visitors.

If anyone has any building expertise or can help with the donation of materials, the Cavaliers would love to hear from you. Their most urgent need is for 20 or 30 telegraph poles or tall fir trees.

Regular updates will be posted on the Cavaliers’ website
www.torrington-cavaliers.co.uk and on their facebook page
www.facebook.com/torringtoncavaliers.

See other links about Trumpton on our website