More than 3,000 people braved the showers on Bank Holiday Monday to attend a giant car boot sale and family fun day to raise funds for charities.
They flocked to Bradford on Avon’s Victory Field and Culver Close playing field on Monday, May 27 for the annual Bank Holiday event – one of the most popular in the town’s calendar.
Phil Courage, president of organisers Bradford on Avon Lions Club, said: “It went really well considering the slightly dodgy weather.
“We were very concerned for the day because we had got the car boot sale as well and a number of car boot people emailed me and said ‘is it going ahead?’ because the field was obviously going to be very wet, which it was.
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Bank Holiday Monday bargain hunters at the BoA Lion Club’s giant car boot sale at Victory Field. Image: Trevor Porter 77088-1 (Image: Trevor Porter)
“We did have our concerns that the entry would be so muddy that the cars would not be able to get up onto the fields, as indeed was the case last year at the fireworks display, which had to be cancelled.
“But it was solid enough to get the car boot people in at 5.30am and the fun day theoretically opens at 11am but people come along before that.
“We had a couple of showers, with a really bad one in the morning, and quite a number of people went home or made a decision to go home but they seemed to come back again when it improved so we were quite lucky in the long run.”
Bank Holiday Monday bargain hunters at the BoA Lion Club’s giant car boot sale at Victory Field. Image: Trevor Porter 77088-2 (Image: Trevor Porter)
The giant car boot sale on Victory Field traditionally attracts dozens of sellers and thousands of buyers. It helps to pay for the family fun day activities and fairground rides on the Culver Close playing field.
This year, the attractions included entertainers, model train and donkey rides, a funfair, and food and drink refreshments.
Grace, aged eight, enjoys a bungee trampoline ride at the Lions family fun day. Image: Trevor Porter 77088-4 (Image: Trevor Porter)
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Phil added: “I am pretty sure takings will be down on what they were last year but considering the weather we will certainly make a reasonable profit.”
Last year, the same event raised more than £5,500, which the BoA Lions Club distributes to local charities and voluntary organisations.
This year, Phil is expecting profits to be “several thousand pounds” but lower than last year as they were hit by the weather and higher expenses.
“We are really very grateful for the support of people from Bradford and the surrounding area who, despite the weather, came and put their faith in us, and we hope we gave them a good day," he added.
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