Members & Volunteers
Each year, we rely heavily on members and volunteers to help us put on the celebrations each year. The bonfire celebrations don’t ‘just happen’, there’s a dedicated group of people working voluntarily to ensure that it does. We are always in need of new members and volunteers coming forward to help us out.
Of course, it’s not all work! We host a number of social events throughout the year, and members can walk in our procession. We also attend a number of other societies’ bonfire nights as a walking group, and they are always lots of fun. Please complete our form to express your interest.
Members & Volunteers Form (Click to reveal)
Procession Participants
Thousands of spectators come to watch our torchlit procession. We have a range of participants, from bands, illuminated floats, walking groups, steam engines, and visiting societies. If you would like to get involved, please fill out our form.
Procession Participants Expression of Interest Form (Click to reveal)
Vendors
Our event is estimated to attract at least 15,000 spectators, and up to 25,000. These visitors need feeding and watering, as do the hundreds of people in our procession. We like to provide our visitors with a variety of vendors.
Vendor Expression of Interest Form (Click to reveal)
Information
Torch-Making
Each year the society has to make thousands of torches to be used in our parades. This is done in a number of sessions throughout the year.
Bonfire Building
The building of the bonfire is done in the days leading up to the bonfire night. Volunteers will need to be quite physically strong.
Marshalling
Marshals fulfil an important role in helping to put on a safe event. A large number are required to accompany the torch-lit procession.
Fundraising
The event can cost over £25,000 each year, and costs keep rising. We rely heavily on fundraising to enable us to continue to put on the event each year.
Events Help
Throughout the year the society organises and runs a number of events. Both social and fundraising events. We occasionally have a stall on the high street at the Friday market, and run market fairs, skittles evenings and more.
Barriers
All along the route in various places around the town, we have to have barriers to keep the public safe. Some of these need to be in place on the Friday before our event, some need to be put in place on the Saturday and of course they all need to be collected again.
Site Clearance
Another area we really need help with is clearing the site on Sunday morning. It is quite amazing what gets left behind!
Raking & Nail Picking
This is carried out a week after the bonfire and if you have a metal detector, would be very useful. We have to rake the site and remove as many of the nails left after the fire.