Very good points, Guest Andy.

In another thread, the current festival director, Liz, has been appealing for more volunteers, especially for people to help in obtaining funding.

Ironically one of the problems Middlewich has always had is a lack of funding and it has always been a victim of its own success.

Local authorities, in particular, have regularly resisted appeals for more money because, to all outward appearances, MFAB seemed to be so successful and popular.

The hours of hard work by dedicated unpaid volunteers behind that success was never taken into account.

This, of course, will be a familiar story to organisers of festival and other events everywhere.