21/10/2015
FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
It is with deep regret to announce the following information.
The biggest hurdle the Festival faces in future years, as the event grows, is the financial risk of running the event. Herefordshire Mind has carried that risk for the past four years in terms of underwriting all costs and providing significant resource, to support the campaign and event each year.
Herefordshire Mind have been happy to do this, in anticipation of long term viability of the event in future years but, as the event grows the costs increase and these can no longer be borne without considerable additional external support. The event has grown in size, revenue and popularity but the financial returns still require time to be matched, resulting in a significant challenge; the current business model on which the festival was originally built, cannot be sustained.
We do intend that the campaign and the event continue and we are looking at alternative sources of funding. However, due to the financial risk to the event, it will not be possible for Herefordshire Mind to continue to contract Fit & Healthy to support the delivery of the project.
This decision is made with great regret by both parties, as both Herefordshire Mind & Fit & Healthy have invested so much to achieve a successful community event. Both organisations would like to thank all Participants, Volunteers, Sponsors, Partners and all Supporters of the project for their contribution and support, to make the campaign and event a success for Herefordshire.
Herefordshire Mind will be exploring options for a more streamlined (and possibly scaled down) event next year, to support their campaign and will provide further information in due course.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Kelly Richard Danks
Executive Director Director
Herefordshire Mind. Fit & Healthy.
