Triumph out of Adversity
Earlier in the year, we were devastated to discover that seven of the memorial benches on Blackbirds Moor, donated by families in memory of lost loved ones, had been deliberately destroyed in a single act of mindless vandalism. This wanton damage struck a chord with our lovely local community who rallied round to help us fund the replacement of each and every one that had been destroyed. It was agreed that the replacement benches should be of galvanised steel construction instead of wood, to minimise the risk of future damage being inflicted, but inevitably this was a more expensive option.
Boxmoor Councillor Will Allen organised a Crowd funder project, which was generously supported by many of you living in the community, and yielded a total of £690.00. Justin and the staff and regulars of the Steam Coach pub in St John’s Road raised a brilliant £500.00 through an ‘Eighties Night’. Herts County Councillor Adrian England arranged for the cost of replacing two litter bins, which were also destroyed in the same incident.
The Trust would like to sincerely thank Will, Justin, Adrian and everyone who kindly contributed to these fundraising initiatives. The Trust made up the balance of the purchase cost and the new benches are now looking resplendent on the moor, complete with replacement engraved plaques to match the originals.
A Fond Farewell to Carters Steam Fair
It was with a mixture of pleasure and sadness that we welcomed Carters Steam Fair back to Blackbirds Moor for the last time in June. Having toured their unique range of vintage fairground rides and vehicles around the UK for the last 45 years, the Carter family has taken the decision that 2022 will be the steam fair’s final tour.
When John and Anna Carter started the fair in 1977, they were passionate about preserving fairground history at a time when other showmen were chasing the latest styles and innovations. When John sadly passed away in 2000, his son Joby took on the responsibility of keeping his legacy going. Thanks to the loyal support of family and fans, the fair became so much bigger than John could ever have anticipated. Thousands of hours have been invested over the years to restore the vintage rides to new condition, even painting by hand and using real gold leaf.
Local families have looked forward to Carters’ visit to Boxmoor for many years, with parents who came as youngsters now bringing their own children to enjoy the rides. We wish the Carter family well in finding a new owner and securing the fair’s future.
Donating made easy
As a charitable Trust, we are most grateful to our supporters and beneficiaries who kindly make financial donations towards our work. If you would like to donate then please use the button below. Thanks to everyone who has generously donated so far.
www.boxmoortrust.org.uk
01442 253300
