Organisation for Mobilisation
Barsham Faire began when a group of friends decided to get together to start an
event that might raise some money to finance other projects, one fantasy
inevitably giving birth to another. Each put in £10 cash and formed the East
Anglian Arts Trust, now flourishing as EAAT Activities.
They decided that the Faire needed a substantial float and organised an art
auction. Local artists donated work to be auctioned and this, plus the sale of
tickets, raised £400. So armed with cash and a site which they had negotiated
at Roos Hall the friends, who now called themselves a committee, set about
organising a two-day event for the August Bank Holiday weekend.
A very similar formula has been employed ever since, although as the Faires
have grown the scale and number of helpers has risen accordingly. It's simple
and does work as long as the words ‘committee’ and ‘friends’ remain
interchangeable.
A nucleus having been formed, each person then takes responsibilty for a
particular aspect (one for the stalls, one for music, one for food, etc.). It
is wise to have a Chairman and a Secretary as they can deal with matters that
don't fit into any particular category, and a Treasurer to count the cost.
For three years Barsham has had a Site Manager who moves onto the site some
time before the Faire and stays there until everything is cleared up
afterwards. He, or she, is responsible for planning the site, construction,
digging, hiring of fencing, stages, etc. (see The Site). It is also up to him
to make good use of manpower volunteers. However, as Barsham has reached
gargantuan proportions the job is now to be shared by four people.
Meetings are held every month from January until the final meeting the day
before the Faire. These meetings are open to all so that anyone with an
interest can come along. Consequently helpers are drawn in and jobs distributed
beyond the committee. Duplicated minutes of the meetings are sent out to
committee members and, in the case of EAAT, to all paid-up members and various
helpers. These act as a reminder for jobs and for the date of the next meeting.
Barsham meetings are held on the last Thursday of each month at a regular
venue. Experience has shown that establishing a regular time and place improves
attendance. Two or three months prior to the Faire meetings are held on the
Site.
These meetings may be the bare bones of the matter, but it is up to those who
attend them to draw in the rest of the community. It is around and about, in
pubs and caffs and by home-hearths where imaginations weave wondrous schemes
for ‘this year's Faire’.
Dome and warren
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