GoFest resized
Will Surrey’s Sports Festival get the go-ahead this summer? GoFest the three-day festival for family sport which is planned to take place at Guildford’s Surrey Sports Park July 10-12 is under threat as founder and organizer, Paul Farris searches for new sponsors.
It is billed as a 'sporting Glastonbury' – a festival of sport to showcase over 50 sports, fitness and dance activities. The aim is to draw families into new sports with taster sessions in everything from rugby to rock climbing to synchronized swimming. Many of the county's biggest sporting names are already signed up, among them Harlequins RFC, Netball Super League runners-up, Surrey Storm, and the county’s badminton elite, Surrey Smashers. But Farris’ plans have yet to win financial support from Surrey County Council and Guildford Borough Council.
The £36 million sports park, built four years ago and equipped with Olympic-sized pool, huge climbing walls, squash courts and multipurpose pitches offers the perfect venue for a three day camping event.
Cranleigh-based Farris, who runs events company, Juice Live Communications, came up with the idea two years ago, whilst looking for ways to introduce his youngest child to new sports and healthy pursuits. Committing £150,000 of his own money to the project thus far he needs significant further investment to ensure the project will go ahead.
With no Guilfest this year, it would be a fantastic opportunity for Guildford Borough Council to get behind a community event that has the health and well-being of families at its heart. If you would like to see GoFest go ahead this summer.... you can purchase tickets at http://gofest.co.uk/ or call Paul Ferras for sponsorship and partnership opportunities on 0208 1668850 To support the venture see http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/gofest-2015/
