The Fireworks Party

Every year , for the past 10 years, the Club has arranged a fireworks party with a torchlight procession , a huge display of fireworks , bonfire and refreshments. The proceeds form the event always go to charity and each year a different one benefits.

Here are some photographs of the party on November 4th 2000, together with the  report on the evening from the Hampshire Chronicle.

Fireworks - Rotarians made the right decision when they decided to hold their torchlight spectacular, bonfire and fireworks display on November 4th, a day early.  They had a fine night and folk turned out early, crowding into Broad Street ready for the torchlight parade which began at 7pm.  Children from Year Four of Sun Hill Junior School had made two splendid "guys", Arfa Brain, who carried the gunpowder and Ivan Attitude who held the torch to ignite it.  They were transported from Broad Street to Arlebury Park on the top of a fire engine, followed by the children and a huge crowd, all carrying lighted torches.  At one point the procession stretched from the top of Broad Street to Arlebury Park, creating a magnificent display of light.  At the request of the town council, the Rotarians has roped off the football field, use of the new millennium path ensuring that people kept their feet dry as the strolled to the bottom field where the fireworks display was held.  More than 3,000 people crowded into Arlebury Park.  After the children had taken their guys to the bonfire to be put on the top by Clive Livingstone, Derek Bell, president of Alresford Rotary Club, lit the bonfire.  Malcolm Miles, on the loud-speaker, thanked the Morgan Giles Estate for allowing them to use the adjoining fields as a vehicular entrance; structural engineer, Clive Livingstone, for masterminding the building of the bonfire; CLC for providing pallets and the farmer who had given them a bale of straw almost as big as a house.  Then, Mick and Paul from Paynes started the display.  The sum of £3,500 as been spent on fireworks to provide a magnificent display, even more breathtaking than last year's.  There were flying Catherine wheels, a battleship and helicopter battle, wonderful showers of colour lighting up the sky, all accompanied by appropriate music.  The evening's profit was £2,200 - the Rotary Club will donate £2,000 of this to its Sri Lankan housing project.

Thanks to Andrew Hallas and to the Hampshire Chronicle for the photographs.