Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, visited East Barnet Festival in Oakhill Park yesterday, along with the Mayor and Mayoress of Barnet - Hugh and Susan Rayner - and Brunswick Park ward councillor, Lisa Rutter.
The festival was first held in 1995. Originally it started with the funfair and a handful of stalls. Now it has three music and dance stages, a Children’s World, Market Hall, and various competitions. There were also about 100 stalls this year, representing local groups and charities as well as businesses.
Following the event, Theresa Villiers said "It was good to be back at the East Barnet Festival. This is always a chance to celebrate East Barnet and bring the local community together. I have been coming to the festival every year for nearly 10 years now (except when it was rained off!). It was great to be here with the Mayor and Mayoress and former Mayor, Cllr Lisa Rutter."
"I always enjoy my visit to the festival. I pay tribute to Pam Edwards, Cllr Anne Marie Pearce, Barry Swain and all the other volunteers who put so much work into making the weekend a success."
"The festival goes from strength to strength, not least because of the financial support provided by Barnet's Conservative Council and by the event's sponsors, the Hadley Trust, Chas Lowe Estates and others who contributed to festival expenses."
"There is more and more live music every year at the festival with some great acts playing for enthusiastic festival-goers. The weekend's events have also helped raise money for excellent local charities: Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, St Mary’s Church Extension, and FIN Day Centre in East Barnet Village which supports people caring for elderly and disabled relatives. I know all those charities well and I am delighted that they were the festival's nominated charities this year."
"I enjoyed catching up with a number of local groups who had stalls at the festival including the Barnet FC Supporter’s Trust who were there promoting their “Back 2 Barnet” campaign. I also chatted to local scouts who were helping out with litter picking to keep the park tidy."