'Volunteer fatigue' could finish the Marymas Fair
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THIS weekend’s annual Marymas Fair in Inverness could be the final one as volunteer fatigue and increasingly "counter productive" regulations take their toll.
The charity Crossroads, which has run the popular medieval-themed event for the last 25 years, has announced it will no longer organise the fair.
As well as being a major date in the city’s calendar, attracting thousands of people, the fair is the main fund-raising event for the charity which provides home-based respite for carers.
Highland Council is now looking at whether alternative arrangements can be put in place to save it.
Dr Ian McNamara, chairman of the Crossroads management committee, outlined the reasons for the decision.
"I think it is the same effect that a lot of charities are experiencing — volunteer fatigue and increasing regulations to put on these events is almost getting unrealistic," he said.
"What was a relatively simple, straightforward thing when it started off is now over-regulated almost to the point it is counter productive."
There were increasing health and safety regulations, for example, while individual licences had to be obtained for the attractions.
"It is not just a matter of people turning up and everyone mucking in," Dr McNamara said. "You have to start planning these events as soon as the last one is over."
It resulted a huge amount of work and mountains of paper for the charity’s fund-raising manager Pam Poston who will now be able to explore other sources of funds.
"It isn’t a decision we have taken lightly," Dr McNamara said. "It is on the annual calendar of the council and the city of Inverness.
"But there is no reason why someone else should not take it over and have a stab at it, if they want to. But it is not for the faint-hearted."
He said the fair raises about £15,000 for Crossroads, although of this amount, about £11,000 is a donation from the Inverness Common Good Fund for organising the event.
"The overheads are considerable," he said. "If we didn’t get a significant donation from the common good fund, we would be doing it for pennies."
Mrs Poston said the event involved a large amount of preparatory work.
"It takes a lot of voluntary commitment — it is not only with the preparation, getting stalls, prizes and stock and so on, but also on the day itself," she said.
Inverness Provost Jimmy Gray, who will carry out the annual role of crowning the Marymas Queen on Saturday, is saddened by the decision but also sympathises with the charity.
He has already spoken to the council’s events officer to see whether it can be organised in a different way. "We will see what other organisations may or may not be willing to help organise it," Provost Gray said.
"It has been an important event for Inverness for the last 25 years. I think we would all miss the Marymas Fair if it goes."
SINCE the inaugural event in 1986, the medieval Marymas Fair has grown into a key event on the city’s calendar and the largest annual fund-raising event for Crossroads.
Last year, it attracted more than 3500 visitors and raised more than £15,000. It features more than 100 trade and voluntary stalls, sideshows, tea tent, a barbecue, entertainment and performers, while participants are asked to dress up in traditional costume and are involved in the procession through Inverness.
Saturday’s fair will be held at the Northern Meeting Park from 11am to 5pm. The Marymas Queen will be crowned at the Town House at 11.15am. and will be followed by the procession to the park for noon.
This year’s queen is Jill Paton-Mackenzie (14) of Millburn Academy while her attendants are Laura Urquhart of Charleston Academy, Melanie Armstrong, of Culloden Academy, Katie Roddam, of Inverness High School and Kelly Martin of the Inverness Royal Academy. They will support the charity throughout the year.
