Folk festival cancelled due to lack of volunteers

Bradford-on-Avon's Green Man Festival brings thousands to the Wiltshire town

A popular folk festival has been cancelled after it became "a victim of its own success", organisers say.

A recent appeal for volunteers to help run Bradford-on-Avon's Green Man Festival, in Wiltshire, did not lead to the numbers required to save it.

Organiser Alfie Windsor said the annual event, which features more than 1,000 performers and attracts about 10,000 visitors each year, had "grown like crazy" since its launch in 2017 and they were struggling to cope.

"It's hugely disappointing," said Mr Windsor, who ran the festival with his wife Jan. "People are all keen to see it go on, but unless people will step forward and do the work needed, you can't sustain it."

He added: "We really are a victim of our own success. This was our eighth year this year and we've gone from virtually nothing to a massive festival."

Mr Windsor said the "sheer amount of work" was impossible for him and Mrs Windsor to do on their own.

The mythical Green Man figure, the festival is based around, reflects an ancient symbol of nature and rebirth which is famous within English folklore.

Popular with Morris dancers, a highlight of the event is a parade led by a 3m (10ft) tall Jack in the Green figure, which will now be kept in storage.

To save the festival, the Windsors had hoped to form a committee with 11 different members. But following a meeting on 31 October, only six volunteers came forward.

"I can't see [the festival] coming back," Mr Windsor admitted.

"We were able to get a lot of people say they'd come along on the day and volunteer for a couple hours, but we couldn't get people who would put in two, three hours a week from now until May."

Morris dancers were a staple of the Green Man Festival

According to Mr Windsor, several local groups have struggled with volunteers in recent years due to the cost of living crisis.

He said: "Life now for people is so non-stop. People don't have the time [to volunteer], they're busy, they're overwhelmed."

In a statement, Bradford-on-Avon Town Council said: "We're really disappointed to hear that the Bradford-on-Avon Green Man Festival won't be going ahead this year.

"It's such a special event for our town, loved by visitors from far and wide - and one we've been proud to support over the past few years.

"We'd love to work with the organisers to see how the festival can continue in a way that's sustainable for the team they've built."