Published: September 23, 2008
£3,000 cheque handed over to Burnham-On-Sea fireworks organisers

A cheque for more than £3,000 was handed over to Burnham-On-Sea town council on Monday evening (September 22nd) to help fund this year's seafront fireworks display.

The cheque presentation came after a six-month fundraising campaign to raise enough money from local businesses to enable the town council to hold this November's display.

The event was saved after 61 firms, including Burnham-On-Sea.com, came forward with funding.

The names of the businesses who helped the fundraising campaign were entered into a raffle and the five winners were drawn on Monday evening and have been named the sponsors of this year's event. The sponsors will be the Somerset and Dorset pub, Central Radio, Burnham Holiday Village, Pople's Electricals and Sherwood House / The Warren Guesthouse.

Cash-strapped Sedgemoor District Council withdrew its financial support for the display in March due to the authority's huge £1.8m financial shortfall. This year's seafront fireworks display will be held on Sunday November 9th, the night before the Burnham and Highbridge Carnival.

Tom Ashton, who led the fundraising campaign, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "We are very grateful to all those local businesses who came foward to help save Burnham's fireworks. We're looking forward to a successful display!"

Pictured above are Sedgemoor Tourism Association's Tom Ashton and Bob Nicholson, who organised the fundraising campaign, with Burnham-On-Sea Town Council's Cllr Eric Gill, Cllr Arthur Thorogood and Town Clerk Eileen Shaw

RELATED LINKS:

Disappointment as 2007 fireworks are cancelled
Video of Burnham seafront fireworks in 2006
Big crowds watch Burnham-On-Sea's 2005 fireworks