Thornton Cleveleys Gala Committee praises community as £2,000 raised after vandal spree

In July, Thornton Cleveleys Gala committee members were shellshocked after a cost break-in at the Gala hut

The raiders smashed their way through the hut in July this year, costing the committee thousands after a theft and vandalism spree.

Aside from broken glass all over the floor of the hut, chairs were damaged, a number of marquees were missing and many items of equipment which included metal were wrecked as the raiders attempted to extract it – including irreplaceable trophies.

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Trophy bases left behind after intruders ripped off the metal cups during the break-in in July

The incident came a a major blow as the committee was preparing for the event’s big 125th anniversary milestone in 2023.

Committee members’ only comfort was that the raid came just a few weeks after Carnival Day instead of before it.

However, they are delighted by the generous response from the public which has seen their GoFundMe raise a total of £2,165.

The total fund included many smaller donations from people who just wanted to do their bit to help.

Helen Moorhouse, secretary of Thornton Cleveleys Gala Committee, said: “After the theft and destruction of the majority of our equipment in July, the local community was fantastic in coming together to support us.

"They managed to raise £2,165 on the JustGiving site, which was amazing.

"We’d just like to say a big thank you to everyone who contributed.

“We are still having to do major fundraising, because it costs approximately £4,000 to £5,000 to stage Carnival Day due to insurance and road closures and we now have the additional cost of replacing the equipment.

"But this brilliant fundraising effort has really helped.”

Thornton Cleveleys Gala was first staged in 1898 and the committee is pulling out all the stops to make next year’s event extra special.

The event has survived after some difficult times over the years and at one point the committee folded and the event was scarpped.

However, a new committee formed and now the event is set to celebrate the big milestone.

It is hoped that past queens, princesses and Prince Charmings can join the 2023 event, providing a tangible link with the event’s rich past.