JUST under 250 people have already bought tickets for a front row seat at an upcoming fireworks display in Shinfield.
The village’s 1st St Mary’s scout group will welcome visitors to its HQ at 33 Hyde End Road for an event which will feature both fireworks and a bonfire, giving residents the opportunity to roast some marshmallows while taking in the show.
With a total of 500 tickets available to purchase, the people of the parish have responded with typical enthusiasm, picking up almost half of the allocation with several weeks remaining.
Organiser Doug Alexander said: “We’re really looking forward to the display, we hope it’s going to be bigger than last year.
“It’s always a popular event, with the fireworks going on for 20 to 25 minutes. As a scout group, we’re pretty good at bonfires, it’s what we do with the kids every week.
There will be a barbecue on site to ensure everyone remains well-fed. The group does ask that visitors do not bring personal fireworks or sparklers, and that dogs are left at home.
All proceeds go to the continued running of the scout group’s activities, with a target of £2,500 already set.
More than 90% of the children who attend are from the Shinfield area; the few who don’t are almost all students at schools within the parish.
“We do try to stay active in the community as much as possible, a lot of the events we do with the scouts, cubs and beavers are community-led,” Doug explained.
“When we’re organising events, we always think about the community, whether it’s through litter picks, church bell ringing, church visits or going to the local care home, Shinfield View – we like to do stuff with the older people there.”
Doors will open at 6.40pm, with the bonfire starting at 7pm. The fireworks display takes place at 7.30pm and will run for approximately half an hour.
Tickets are £6, with under fives admitted for free.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit: https://tinyurl.com/2yamhc87
