Community - Fireworks

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Community Service

 

Community Service - Fireworks

 

 

 

 

 

The Fireworks were an annual event that was run by the Rotary Club of St Ives each year on the Saturday of the Queen's Birthday weekend at the St Ives Showground.

For over 25 years, we invited the Community to come along to see the fireworks and to have fun on side-show alley and to enjoy the Steak- and Sausage-sandwiches that the Rotary Stall had on offer. Even St Ives Rotaract had a hand in providing hotdogs and cold drinks!

Past President Jimmy Mazlin recognised the need for a more permanent fixture that would allow the safe and sanitary service of hot food, and so he rallied the troops to get the Rotary Kiosk built on land at the Showground.

Sadly, the Fireworks had to be abandoned in 2007 as the insurance costs became too exorbitant to maintain.

 

 

 

 

Background

 
 
Originally, the project was purely a Community Service activity. St Ives Rotarian Rowley Dart wanted to establish a safe environment for kids to be able to let off their fireworks and I’d have to refer to the Club History to say where this was originally done – perhaps even in the primary school grounds. It could even have been as far back as Empire Day when the first of our crackers were let off.
Time has of course allowed us to evolve and the Council were very happy to have us organise fireworks at the showground in conjunction with a giant bonfire which then permitted the Council to dispose of a great deal of green rubbish. It was always a toss-up whether the fire would light properly in Queens Birthday weekend weather but it certainly was spectacular and a great attraction for kids and their sparklers etc.
As amateur fireworks are no longer tolerated the objective now has been to have the professional show as an attraction for as many gate payees as we can raise money from. So it is a money-raising institution.
Nothing wrong with that, but I have to record that it has been a club tradition, being featured on numerous magazine covers etc. and often has been recorded as our major fund-raiser in Rotary reports and being recognised as a good project. I would like to see it retained if we can see an opportunity at a time clear of the adjacent similar functions in the locality. The problem, outlined by David quite eloquently, is the up-front cost – virtually uninsurable as a weather precaution. …and someone to volunteer to run it! My impression has been that each year the incumbent organiser has carefully put a mantle on a potential successor among his assistants but things seem to change so rapidly these days that he/she is not in a position to do it 12 months hence.