The usual start time is 10.15 but if it's a bright night (likely) it may be 10 .30. The main charities being supported are - Henley Riding for the Disabled, Regatta for Disabled and the Child bereavement Trust. Any residue will be distributed between other local charities. The Lions Club are likely to use some of their proceeds for Macmillan Cancer Care if, as is hoped, they can provide some help.
An important point is that NONE of the money collected on the night is used to buy the fireworks. That comes from separate appeals.
The Summer Fireworks are always on the look out for more volunteers to collect money from people watching the fireworks.
A brief summary of what happens on Saturday of the Regatta is as follows. If they have names in advance the organisors of the Summer Fireworks will get some I D badges made up and allocate a collecting bucket to each collector. Generally they ask people to work in pairs, or with others, so nobody is exposed or feels vulnerable. They try to avoid putting ladies on the Remenham towpath, which can be overcrowded and a bit rough at times.
Meet in Greys Road Car Park, behind the Argyll pub, at 7.00-7.15 pm Buckets & badges will be distributed there. Volunteers then fan out and work their way through the town towards the riverbank, collecting along the way. The fireworks organisers will try to allocate people to different positions along the river: eg around the bridge, regatta car parks, cricket club, towpath, Remenham club & Copas enclosure.
Suggested requirements for collectors on the night : Mobile phone to enable contact with organiser, if required. A torch is useful. Appropriate warm /wet weather clothing. ( forecast is good ! ) A good sense of humour ! Please email or ring Patrick Mulcahy if you need further info. at any time. Mobile 07711 235242 Home 01491 57799
For over 100 years the Saturday night of Henley Regatta has been marked by a firework display which, in recent years, has enabled volunteers from The Lions and the Sea Cadets to collect a considerable amount of money to distribute to local charities. There is a misconception that these fireworks have been arranged by Henley Royal Regatta. In fact, they have always been independent of the Regatta and have always been a means to raise funds for local charities.
Unfortunately, the display was fired on land which became RegattaÂÂÂ-owned and in 2010 the RegattaÂÂÂÂÂ cancelled the fireworks. Billy Pinches was determined NOT to allow people to be disappointed for a second year and, with the help of The Henley Lions and others put on a good display on his own land and set up, on land owned by Urs Schwarzenbach, a field, hosted by the Stag and Huntsman, where families could picnic all day and party at night with a good view of the fireworks at the end.
This field alone brings in a good deal of money for charities. The Henley Lions, The Sea Cadets and other volunteers collected in and around Henley and the regatta site and the Stag and Huntsman field and the proceeds have been donated to the charities listed here.
In order to make the most of every penny we are given, Henley Summer Fireworks has now become a registered Charity in its own right and we hope this year to be able to distribute even more money to small local charities who use every penny they are given for the purposes for which it is given (as opposed to fancy offices and expensive staff).
2012 Benefactors: The Sea Cadets, Rowing for the Disabled, Helen and Douglas HouseÂÂÂÂ, The Chiltern Centre, Riding for the Disabled, Regatta for the Disabled.
