New faces needed to take up arts banner

THE future of Devizes Junior Eisteddfod, the youth festival of music and the arts, is in doubt after director Chris Thompson announced his decision to stand down at the competition's annual meeting at the end of the month.

Music teacher Mr Thompson declared in October last year his intention to stand down after the 60th Eisteddfod in November 2005 but last week he circulated a letter to all supporters of the competition saying he had brought forward his date of leaving due to pressures of work.

At least nine of the ten-strong committee have also revealed they won't be standing for re-election, throwing the competition into its worst crisis since former director Michael Oliver stood down after 25 years eight years ago.

Mr Thompson said: "We did say we would take it on to its 60th anniversary, because it sounded like a good round number, but the pressure is now intolerable and I don't think we could do it justice for another year.

"I am announcing my decision now so it will give anyone taking it up the best part of a year to organise it."

The event still enjoys enormous support, with 1,000 young people taking part in 100 different classes, including instrumental playing, singing, reading, composition, art and handwriting.

Between 60 and 70 volunteers take part in the competition, which takes place on one day at Dauntsey's School in West Lavington, where Mr Thompson is head of music. The only people to be paid for their involvement are the adjudicators.

The school's success in music has put an increasing amount of pressure on Mr Thompson and the rest of the music department, including Mr Thompson's wife, Dawn. The school has many music students, and Mr Thompson organises a huge programme of events including concerts by pupils, the school's choral society and the William Dauntsey Symphony Orchestra.

It has now become a tradition at the school to mount a spectacular musical at the end of the autumn term.

On top of that, there are the day to day teaching commitments.

Mr Thompson would be grateful to hear from any other school, organisation or individual in the area who would be willing to take on the task of organising it.

He said: "There is no reason why it has to be done in one day. It may be that the most realistic way of going forward would be to have different components scheduled for different times of year, in different venues, with smaller sub-committees taking responsibility for each component. At the end of each year a section winners' concert could be held, say in the town hall, at which the artistic talents of the area's youngsters are brought together and celebrated."

He can be contacted on (01380) 814541 or e-mailed at thompscb@dauntseys.wilts.sch.uk.

The Eisteddfod's annual meeting takes place in the Farmer Room at Dauntsey's on January 30 at 8pm.

The Eisteddfod has brought a lot of local talent to prominence over its 60-year history, not least that of the festival's current patron, Simon May, who performed while a pupil at Dauntsey's School in the 1960s and subsequently rose to fame through his hit songs and TV theme tunes, including those for EastEnders, Howard's Way, Eldorado, Pet Rescue and Trainer.

More recently, supporters have been able to follow the development of such promising young musicians as Dominic Irving and Danielle Jalowiecka, who won the event in 2002.

Mr May said: "We need a school or some other kind of institution to take it up. The Eisteddfod has successfully been the focus for so many people over the years.

"It would be much harder to recreate it after a year or two, so it is quite important that a group of people, possibly connected with education, should take up the baton now.

"Losing something so important to the life of the community would be desperately sad. Perhaps someone who has just retired and has bags of energy could come on board.

"I would still like to be associated with it. I would like to express my gratitude to Dauntsey's School for hosting the Eisteddfod for the last eight years."