Emma Newman writes …
It is with great excitement to announce that a brand new team has come forward to take on the organisation and running of Long Wittenham’s Annual Bonfire Night.
After successfully relaunching this popular village event in 2024, a new team, headed up by Anna Warren who lives with her family in Wessex Way has officially taken on the organisation. The event will continue to run in collaboration with the Long Wittenham Parish Council and supported by a team of volunteers from the village. This year’s event will take place on Saturday 1st November 2025 so do save the date.
Anna will be actively looking to expand the team in the Autumn, but do get in touch with her now if you would like to become involved. Whether you have helped in the past or would like to become part of the event team this year, there is a job for everyone. Anna will be looking for a new team to run the BBQ, help on the bar and the sweet treats stall, marshall the event and provide first aid cover, run the Guy Fawkes competition, collect wood from the village, build the bonfire and provide refreshments to keep all of the volunteers fuelled on the day. Many hands make this event a joy to run – it’s a brilliant way to meet people who live in the village and is always great fun to get involved with.
All profits from last year’s event have now been disseminated. As well as providing a grant towards the new playground equipment at Acklings, funds raised from this event have been distributed amongst the PCC who kindly provide use of Ward’s Field for the evening, Long Wittenham Brownies, who this year made all of the wonderful signs for the event, Long Wittenham School and Pre-school who ran the sweet treats stall, organised the Guy Fawkes competition and provided hands on support during set up and take down. A small contribution was also made to Claire Brown from the WI for materials to decorate the village bus shelter in the future.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this event in the past, including all of the volunteers and local organisations as well as everybody who has bought tickets to attend, and provided donations. It is fantastic to have a new team in place who will take the event forward – please do support them in any way that you can.
If you would like to get involved in this event, please contact Anna at lw.fireworks.2025@gmail.com
Last year, the public rights of way through the Ward’s Field were illegally blocked for the bonfire event. If it is proposed that these rights of way are to be suspended for this year’s event, then a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order will have to be obtained from the County Council. Failure to do so, will mean that anyone may enter the field along the rights of way, and watch the fireworks etc without being obliged to pay.
Hi Robert,
Thanks for your message and for bringing this up. It’s really important that we get everything right for the event, and I think your help would be invaluable in making sure it all runs smoothly.
It would be great if you could get involved in organizing the footpath closure and any related tasks. With your support, I’m confident we can make it all come together without any issues.
Feel free to reach out to us at lw.fireworks.2025@gmail.com, and we can take it from there.
Thanks again,
Anna