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| Julia Knight from Pepita Productions (credit: Keith Oxley) |
One of the key aims of the Buxton Festival Fringe is to help make the arts available for everyone - "Arts for All" is our slogan! I chatted with Linda Rolland, Community Links lead for the Fringe about how we did in 2024.
"We've always encouraged our entrants to offer activities to a range of community groups", Linda tells me. "We have a network of groups from schools to care homes, to the local food bank and more. Some of these groups have entertainment budgets but many don't have funds available. Likewise our performers may need to be paid or at least have their expenses covered. This can make matching up performers and groups tricky. But I'm pleased to say that this year was very successful with two of our entrants providing entertainment for three local groups. And that's just the ones we know about, there are often more!", Linda adds. I ask for the details of what happened in 2024. "Performer Julia Knight performed excerpts from her shows Zeit-Heist More than a Feeling and I am not Victoria Wood for residents at Haddon Hall Care Home and Blythe House Hospice, and Chris Milner, singer, songwriter and guitarist, gave a lunchtime performance at Zink." Linda, who attended the performance at Blythe House, says: "The clients were keen to tell me how much they enjoyed Julia's show and appreciated what we were doing in taking events to them. They very much enjoyed Julia's own comedic compositions such as the Hang-gliding song and the Gin song! They were also delighted to hear Julia sing songs written by much-missed Victoria Wood. Julia really enjoyed herself also and said it was useful to acclimatise herself to the area, try out some of her material and to publicise her show to clients and their families."
Julie Forrest, Volunteer Manager at Blythe House wrote to the Fringe later to add: "I just wanted to say a huge thank you on behalf of our patients, volunteers and staff for supporting us and performing here on Friday 12th July. The feedback has been fantastic and your time was very much appreciated."
Another community activity is the floral Orange Hot Spots, brainchild of much-missed Vice Chair Viv Marriott. The colourful flowers are intended to brighten up the town over the summer as well as let people know its Fringe time. First planted in 2021, the Orange Hot Spots have gradually grown with a number of local business and community groups now taking part. "This year we were thrilled to be invited to help residents at Haddon Hall Care Home sow and pot up orange flowers", says Linda. The Fringe also wanted to encourage local people to get involved too, so came up with the idea of giving away packs of seeds. "We gave out over 150 packets of seeds at our Springboard party and at the May Day fair. It was very popular with people and a great way to get chatting with them about the Fringe and what's on offer", reports Fringe Secretary Carole. Despite the poor weather earlier this year, there have been lots of sightings of orange flowers across the town.
Knowing the Fringe never rests on its laurels, I ask Linda what's on the agenda for Fringe 2025? "We'll be getting feedback on what worked well and where we can make improvements; we'll definitely be giving out seeds again and planting Orange Hot Spots. If if the council responds to pleas for a community hub as part of the Revitalising Buxton plans we will be keen to develop ideas for using it for community engagement either with our performers or promoting the Fringe." Well that ought to keep us busy!
If any of our other performers took part in community activity over the Fringe, we would love to hear about it and add it to our website. Please send a few details to Linda at the email below.
Likewise if you are a community group who would like to join our community links network or if you are interested in volunteering with the community links group please email Linda at links@buxtonfringe.org.uk.
Buxton Fringe
Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe
Instagram: @buxtonfringe
