Wicked Hathern Fest cancelled
No budget to stage event after £32,000 losses incurred in 2019
THIS year’s Wicked Hathern Fest music event has been cancelled, after bad weather wrecked the 2019 event, causing it to lose around £32,000.
Last year’s event was struck by unseasonal weather, with the organisers saying that they were forced to cancel the camping element and then push back the opening times on the Saturday by five hours due to the forecast high winds.
And now officials have announced the event will not take place this year, with a view to bringing it back in 2021 - but they have praised the community for their support.
A message the festival organisers, Hathern Village Association (HVA), on Facebook said: “Our dearest friends, 2019 marked eight years since Hathern Village Association formed with the aim of bringing events to the village for all to enjoy.
“In that time we have evolved our events to become Hathern’s Big Week, Wicked Hathern Fest and Wicked Hathern Fireworks and Bonfire - as well as smaller events such as The Big Quiz, Little Wicked and the Wine Walk.
“The aim of HVA has always been to put on quality events. As such, at the end of every year, we set our budget for the following year’s events, keeping a little by to help them grow and any surplus is donated to local groups.
“As a volunteer group, we keep very little money for ourselves in comparision to the event costs and the events are mainly self-funding. As a result of this and as I am sure you have seen in the press and heard around the village, due to adverse weather conditions at every single one of our events, HVA made a collective loss of £32,300.
“Fortunately, we started 2019 with £25,000 in the bank and thanks to the dedication and hard work of all our supporters we have managed to raise a further £7,800 via Go Fund Me, Donations and the Big Quiz and Auction night.
“For those of you with quick mental maths, you can now work out that we have only £500 in our bank account but are also debt-free!
“However, £500 doesn’t leave us enough to continue into the future. We have taken the very difficult decision not to run Wicked Hathern Fest in 2020 as we feel we can’t do it justice with no budget behind it. On top of that, multiple highways works are due to begin at the top of the festival site, including a new roundabout.
“We will however be running Hathern’s Big Week and Wicked Hathern Fireworks and Bonfire as usual plus more fund-raising events so that we can bring back WHF in 2021!
“In fact, our first will be in March with Little Wicked!
“We want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who have supported us and continue to do so. Without your help, our 12 committee members would have been liable for any debts and would have had to make up the costs from their own pockets.
“We continue to be awed and amazed at the community of Hathern and it’s surrounding villages. Whatever happens, someone is always there for you, to help you and support you and village groups go out of their way to make sure others keep their heads above the water.
“2019 could have marked the end of HVA, but we have come out of the other side and we will continue to grow with your support.”
Their gofundme is still accepting donations at https://www.gofundme. com/wickedhathern