Who Delivers the Fair?

The modern Downton Cuckoo Fair is delivered by Downton Cuckoo Fair Limited.  This is a company limited by guarantee, and registered in England and Wales under Company No. 04748797 – please the Companies House entry for details. It is important to note the Cuckoo Fair does not operate in a vacuum.  It needs the approval of the Downton PC who review and make comments on its risk assessments.  It consults with Wiltshire Council’s Event Safety Advisory Group, develops an Event Management Plan that aligns with guidance, The Purple Guide (35 chapters, 300+ pages), from the nationwide Event Industry Forum who represent the combined expertise of 27 trade bodies and finally the Cuckoo Fair responds to the requests from its own insurers.

The delivery of the Fair is lead by the Core Team who have defined roles to undertake.  These are documented in the Event Management Plan and its companion Build Plan which has 30 appendices.  But the Core Team cannot deliver the fair by themselves.  Here are just some of the many organisations who help deliver the Fair each year.

They rely on a companies to provide professional services and resources:

  1. W Shipsey & Sons Ltd provide the two marquees, fire fighting equipment and the platform for the Princess;
  2. Rob Beale Limited provides the toilets;
  3. Grist Environmental Event Services provides the wheelie bins for the visitors’ rubbish.  Note these are sorted at their facility and all re-cycleable material is extracted;
  4. South West Ambulance Services provides the medical cover;
  5. Delcom Systems Ltd provides the walkie talkies used by the Core Team;
  6. Tech Event Services provides the PA system;
  7. Chevron Traffic Management deploy the road diversion signs and barriers;
  8. Fordingbridge Print, Time2Display and Downton Signs provide graphic design and printing services including the Day leaflet and other documents required by the core team, Event Control and Barrier Teams

Also, there are many local organisations, most of whom are paid, who help out for the Fair:

  1. Downton Guides undertake a litter pick at the end of the Fair;
  2. St Laurence’s Church provides the core team and key teams with the team breakfast briefing;
  3. Downton Memorial Hall provide the venue for Event Control;
  4. Downton Army Cadet Force help clear away the Fair and return the equipment to storage;
  5. 1st Wilton Scouts provide the Park-n-Ride service for the Barford Lane Car Park;
  6. Downton Baptist Church provide parking for the stall-holders and residents;
  7. Trafalgar School, Millennium Green Association and the Downton Football Club operate their own car parks for the visitors;
  8. Downton Parish Council provide the Borough Greens and Memorial Gardens for the Fair;

We also rely on the volunteers who help the Core Team prepare, setup, and dismantle the Fair.

 

For more information about the Fair have a look at History, Ten Things you may not know about the Fair, and Supporting Local Organisations.