Hanwell Carnivalgoers Help Grenfell Victims

£2,500 raised in collection tins and buckets will go towards the charity

An estimated 20,000 people  attended Hanwell Carnival on Saturday (June17th) in breathtakingly hot sunshine.

( photos © Adeane Hardy The Urban Fox Orchestra steel band who performed on the parade and in the park)

The carnival normally has coin collections on the parade and in the park itself which go towards staging the next year’s event. This year, the amount collected - £2,500 is being given instead to help support Grenfell Fire victims.  

The carnival chair, Mike Gahan said “News of the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower deeply shocked the organising team, and we unanimously felt we had to do something for our fellow West Londoners”.

There were collecting tins the carnival bar areas, on charity stalls, music stages, even ice cream vans. Some other groups taking part did the same – like Hanwell based Cadden Coaching who separately raised nearly £400.

( one of the music stages )

As ever, the carnival had plenty on offer for a family day out – three stages offering music, dance and sports demos. There were nearly 60 charity and trade stalls including St Benedicts School who had two groups of sixth formers pitched against each other in an “Apprentice” style competition to see who could raise the most money.

 One team raised £482.47 for Mary's Meals (a charity providing food to poor children in 14 countries throughout the world) and the other £138.62 for Great Ormond Street. The carnival team is already thinking of expanding this idea and having a ‘Schools Challenge’ in 2018.

( photo courtesy  Dawn Guler The fancy dress section of the ever-popular dog show)

Viv Ellis

27th June 2017