County leads the way in festival training (From Western Telegraph)

County leads the way in festival training

A training course for organisers of community events and festivals, which has been co-ordinated and promoted in Pembrokeshire since February 2003, is now being emulated in other parts of Wales.

Following a successful application for European Union LEADER+ Action 2 funding, course organiser PLANED is working with other LEADER+ funded organisations on a project to develop festivals and events to benefit the rural economy.

One element is the exchange of good practice. PLANED will advise other organisations on setting up training courses and also share the festivals and events handbook, which is given to all course participants.

The training course, which is available free of charge in Pembrokeshire, prepares community event organisers to stage events in a professional manner.

It is run with the support of the licensing section of Pembrokeshire County Council, Dyfed-Powys Police, and Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services.

Other facilitators with expertise in various fields deliver sessions on event planning, risk assessment, writing press releases, budgeting, and sponsorship.

More than 160 people have taken part in the training already, and the next course will start in May.

For further information contact Helen Thomas on 01646 682972 or e-mail helent@planed.org.uk.

PICTURED at a networking and presentation evening at Pembrokeshire College, PLANED chairman, Steve Alderman, presents a training handbook to training participant Fred Knapp. Also pictured are Helen Thomas, organiser of the festival training for PLANED, Elenor Clark of PLANED, guest speakers Mike Neal and Keith Allen, and training participants June Howell, Claire Phillips, Hillary Richards, Dennis Stolliday, Anita Williams, and George Wright.

PICTURE: Gareth Davies Photography.