PEOPLE power has secured the fate of Verwood Carnival – for another year at least – with a new committee shoring up the 84-year-old tradition.

The motion was set at a public meeting, chaired by John Towner at the Hideaway in Moorlands Road, which was attended by about 30 people, most determined not to lose the annual event.

A gloomy outlook has been forecast over the years for the Verwood Carnival, which has been run on a shoestring for several years.

In 2012 after years of being dogged by wet weather, the date was moved forward from May Bank Holiday to August in the hope that the sun would shine on the event.

The sun did indeed shine, but after another poor turnout this year with the event heavily criticised on the Verwoodians Facebook page, the carnival looked beyond saving. But community spirit, democracy and a dogged determination to revive the tradition that was born in 1929 is ensuring the survival of the carnival, at least in the short-term.

Verwood resident Shelley Morris said: “We should have a procession and we should get the schools involved. As a child, I took part in the carnival every year. The tradition should carry on.”

Former Verwood mayor Simon Gibson said: “I can’t think of anything better than the carnival to use the recreation ground.

“Work out what you want and we can try and make it happen.”

He explained that the town council considers applications for funding from organisations every six months.

Carnival chairman Adrian Read told the Forest Journal that he will be standing down as chairman but will wait until the new committee is formed, which is hoped to be in November.

He said: “All I can say at the moment is that I will be standing down as chairman of the carnival committee, but it is all up in the air at the moment.

“We have new members but need to organise who is going to be doing what.”