Kids' parade could be cancelled

The Lewes children's parade, Moving On, is an impressive procession through the town featuring children from 18 schools in the area wearing colourful costumes specially created for the day.

But this year the parade, which is almost entirely run by volunteers, may be cancelled because there is not enough money to pay the event's few essential paid workers.

The Arts Council England, which has funded the event for the past seven years, has rejected a bid for just under 5,000.

Peta King, chairman of event organiser Parents and Teachers in the Arts (PATINA), said: 'Lots of people help out and give their time for free or give us support in other ways.

'But a co-ordinator and a number of artists do have to be paid.

'They help the children to create the prototypes of their costumes and have three-day workshops with them in schools.

'If we don't get the cash we will either have to cut down the number of days they work or cancel the event.

'But that's the thing we really want to avoid.'

The parade is traditionally held in July to celebrates the end of primary education for children and has become a much-loved event in the town's summer calendar.

Local businesses have already contributed around 20,000 (Lewes District Council and Lewes Town Council have also given 2,000 and 500 respectively) for this year's event and PATINA is hoping its supporters will help find the extra cash.

Stevie Auden, an executive committee member of PATINA, said: 'The Arts Council has supported us since we started and we were counting on the money but for some reason they'd said no and it's been quite a shock to us.

'We are now hoping to get some big sponsors, the likes of Waitrose or Tesco.

'Local businesses have been absolutely brilliant to us but without the support from the Arts Council it will be impossible for us to carry on.'

If you can help contact Raphaella Sapir at [email protected]