BOTH of Darwen’s summer galas might have to be rescued by cash injections from the town council.

Funding problems have hit Sunnyhurst Gala taking place in the woods on August 8, and people behind Darwen Gala, set for August 21, could have to stump up £1,000 for new road closures.

The Friends of Sunnyhurst Wood (FOSW), organisers of the Sunnyhurst Gala, have been refused regular funding from the Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) because the event was deemed “not value for money”.

But town councillors decided to step in with £1,000 to save the event. Dennis Gillibrand, chairman of FOSW, said: “We are delighted to have the town council’s support.

“If we hadn’t got the money, then the gala would have been under threat.

“We wouldn’t have been able to book things like the bouncy castle and slide or the bands or the dog show.

“I was very upset when the letter came back from the CVS saying that our funding would not go ahead because the gala is not value for money.

“You just need to ask some of the 4,000 people who come every year about their enjoyment and how professionally-run it is. I don’t think 25p per person is bad value at all.”

Councillor Trevor Maxfield, leader of the town council, said: “We’re not just another funding stream, but it’s important to support this event which brings 4,000 people a year into the town.

“The Friends group does superb work, and they will be needed more and more with the funding cutbacks ahead.”

Councillors have now turned their attention to the Darwen Gala, worried about how the committee can manage extra costs.

Sunnyhurst Councillor Tony Melia said: “With the Darwen Gala it used to be a case of a bobby standing in the street directing traffic, but now the rules of the police have changed and you need a traffic regulation order.

“You pay between £100 and £200 for the order itself, then it costs £600 to £700 to publicise the road closures.

“The town council certainly wants this event to go ahead and is looking into helping.”

John Sturgess, organiser of Darwen Gala said: “We are holding a meeting with the police next week to speak about the traffic regulation order.

“It may be we can get away without one, or it may be that we look to the town council for help, nothing’s certain.”