A continuing role to support festival

Whist the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce welcomes council's recent decision to continue its sponsorship of the Brisbane Water Oyster Festival (Peninsula News, August 2, 2010), it appears that the council debate held a number of misconceptions regarding the operation and success of the event.

Without a doubt, the Oyster Festival has been hugely successful and is recognised as one of the biggest community events on the Central Coast.

However, this has not come about by accident.

Its success is directly attributable to the hard work of the organisers and ongoing support of sponsors who help fund the cost of the event.

Contrary to comments by Cr Craig Doyle, the event does not run "at a profit".

At best it breaks even and any shortfalls in funds are topped up by the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

The festival budget is tied directly to the amount of funds made available by sponsors including Gosford Council.

If sponsorship is tight, as has been the case over the last few years, the budget is trimmed accordingly.

Cr Doyle also stated that "he believed that the event was well established and did not need council's continued financial support to sustain it".

This demonstrates a lack of understanding of the purpose of the sponsorship.

It is the continued sponsors' support that ensures that the event is successful.

In return, Gosford Council, like all the sponsors of the event, receives considerable publicity and exposure.

Council's involvement also demonstrates support for the local oyster industry and all those business who contribute directly and indirectly to the festival.

The festival also raises considerable funds for breast cancer research through the Peninsula Chamber's nominated charity Cancer Council NSW.

This is an association that the festival is enormously proud of.

And by way of clarification, all monies raised by the charity queen entrants is held in trust by Cancer Council NSW and does not form any part of the operating costs of the Brisbane Water Oyster Festival.

All sponsors funds go directly to the operating costs.

Certainly council has a role to help events get off the ground but it also has a continuing role to ensure the ongoing success of key regional festivals.

It would be a great shame indeed if Gosford Council was no longer a part of the event after years of building such a close association with the Peninsula community and a successful partnership with the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

Email, 11 Aug 2010 Matthew Wales, Umina