A CARNIVAL is at risk of shutting down just one year from its 100th anniversary with others also struggling for volunteers.

With organisers fearful of the end of Wickford Town Carnival in Nevendon Park, the people behind the carnivals and fairs across Basildon, Canvey and Southend say that there has been a change in recent years.

Stuart Terson, 40, the chairman of Basildon and Pitsea Carnival and a committee member of the Wickford Carnival is expecting the event to make it to its centenary year and then bow out due to a lack of volunteers.

Mr Terson has supported the chairman, Frank Lee, for the last five years, after the parade’s former chairman died.

He said: “I have been involved in carnivals since I was 19, and Wickford is a really well supported event by its community.

“However, it is impossible for an event to continue without a team that is dedicated to organising it throughout the year.

“I’m lucky that in Basildon we have a large committee that has been with us for a long time, but Wickford is struggling for that.

“I think this is the case for a number of other events across the wider area, and that is really sad to see.”

The carnival was already brought back from the brink in 2012 when Sharon and Barry Langmead took charge of the event after it was announced 2011 would be its last year.

Joan Liddiard, secretary of the Canvey Carnival believes that in the modern era carnivals need to adapt if they want to survive.

She said: “There are a lot of events that have gone from our surrounding areas and I have noticed more and more the crowds are getting smaller.

“I think the problem in some cases is there have been people who cannot continue anymore because they have become too old or they cannot take on all the work in order to put on a traditional carnival.

“However, when the Canvey Carnival restarted in 2010 we realised it could not just remain that way if we wanted to continue.

“It is a shame we are seeing events in the area dying out, but the fact is the organisers need to adjust if they want to have a hope of survival.”

It is not just carnivals that are seeing themselves have to change.

Southend Fair parted ways with the Southend Carnival Association in 2016 after the event was cancelled for the first time in 80 years.

Now working with new partners, Southend Mencap and Sir David Amess, MP for Southend West, Don Drake, organiser of the Chalkwell Park event feels it is growing again.

He said: “I do not think that carnivals or fun fairs are at risk of dying out, but there is so much expense involved in organising the event, with health and safety and insurance.

“For that reason, I’d say they are instead being driven out of continuing.

“We used to have volunteers on the gate that used to take donations and that would help fund our event and run it on the day, but now that doesn’t happen. Thankfully for us we have the support of Mencap and Sir David which has helped us keep going.” This year’s Wickford Carnival show takes place on Sunday, September 9 at Nevendon Park.