The annual Glenrothes firework display will go with a bang this year thanks to a little help from The Courier.
The annual display, under threaten due to a shortage of funds and a lack of volunteers, will go ahead after organisers appealed to the public for help through our newspaper.
After the article, Fife Council has intervened and looks almost certain to provide funds for the pyrotechnics, while the Glenrothes and Levenmouth Scout Group has offered to assist with marshalling duties.
The developments have come as a huge relief to organiser Matthew McWilliams from Glenrothes Round Table, who said: “There was an appeal in The Courier and I spoke to Councillor Ian Sloan, who is the vice-chairman of the Glenrothes area committee.
“He put me in touch with Altany Craik, the chairman, and I had a meeting with him and the head of the council’s parks service.
“Fife Council appear happy to fund it this year, but we needed the event to be sustainable so that we don’t go back, cap in hand, next year. But getting the scouts involved means that we can secure the display for the future.”
The Round Table has organised the annual display for the past 30 years, with volunteers taking donations throughout the evening to purchase fireworks for the following year. After many years at Warout playing fields, the event moved in 2012 to Riverside Park, with local group the Friends of Riverside Park volunteering to assist.
However, a shortage of funds and willing volunteers meant that there was genuine concern that this year’s display would be cancelled.
Councillor Altany Craik said that the event is a crucial community fixture for the people of Glenrothes.
He said: “You cannot say that there is a lack of things in Glenrothes where the community comes together and then let things like the fireworks display be called off.
“But we will have to see how it goes this year and then establish how we can make it sustainable in the long-term.”
This year’s event is scheduled to take place at Gilvenbank Park on Saturday 9 October at 7pm.