Thousands descended on Chester Racecourse for a spectacular evening of fireworks displays on Saturday 3 November.
An enthusiastic crowd gathered in Watergate Square on a mild evening ahead of gates opening and at 5pm, members of the public were welcomed onto the racecourse to enjoy the festivities on offer.
Ben Sheppard of Capital FM Breakfast presided over the microphone and kept the entertainment flowing throughout the evening, encouraging the crowd to count-down to the first of two displays and at 6.45pm the children’s display lit up the skies above the Roodee. Thousands watched from comfort of the Grandstand seats and enjoyed a colourful display set to music.
A fairground kept the adrenaline flowing and a range of rides meant all ages could enjoy the fun of the fair in the time before the main event.
Ahead of the main display, Debra Webb, Chairperson of Share Aid joined Ben Sheppard to talk about the charity beneficiary of the evening and how proceeds from the night’s bucket collection would benefit those in need. Debra said:
“A person who is homeless is important to us and needs our support – it doesn’t matter where they are, that’s what we do. The Racecourse are really supportive of Share and we’ve been very grateful of their ongoing support over the last several months.”
50 local volunteers collected donations for Share Aid throughout the evening through a bucket collection and a generous crowd raised a fantastic £4,110.62.
Commenting on the amount raised, Adam Dandy Founder and Trustee of Share said:
“Simply amazing! This is fantastic news, we would like to thank the racecourse for inviting us to be involved.”
The evening’s highlight, the main fireworks extravaganza, entertained the crowd for over 25 minutes and brought the evening to a spectacular crescendo. Many attendees took to social media to express their delight, sharing their photos and comments about a great event.
Chief Executive of Chester Race Company Richard Thomas said:
“The evening was a complete success and it was fantastic to see the community of Chester and beyond turn out to support the event and enjoy the festivities. The drizzle didn’t dampen spirits and we were overwhelmed at the generosity given to charity beneficiary Share on the night. A considerable amount was raised for a worthy cause currently high on the agenda, especially as we edge into colder, darker nights.”
The racecourse is committed to pledging an additional charitable donation from the evening’s proceeds, an announcement on which will be made in the coming days.
This year’s fireworks extravaganza was made possible through collaborative working with Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Member of Parliament’s Office and supported by the MBNA Foundation, who kindly provided a considerable charitable donation to subsidise to the running costs of the event.
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