Organisers of Deal's regatta week have seen their post event triumph turn into financial turmoil.

Regatta committee chairman John Trickey blames the dampener on a shortage of pounds dropping into buckets when the rain arrived at the start of Thursday's carnival procession.

He is desperate to recoup the £1,000 needed to break even and the committee is launching a Go Fund Me crowd funding campaign.

Now he is calling on those who have enjoyed last week's events to dig deep.

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And The Mercury and Kentonline are bolstering his calls by launching the Mercury backed Keep Carnival Week Afloat campaign in appreciation of what he and his volunteers do for the town.

Mr Trickey said: "This is a free event for the whole town that attracts visitors - not just to our events, but to the town's pubs, restaurants and hotels."

He says it would cost £25,000 per year to run the week's events, but that figure is kept down thanks to vital sponsorship that pays for the flagship Party on the Prom, Teddy Bear's Picnic, Lorry Pull and Raft Race events.

In addition to the crowd funding campaign, which is now live at GoFundMe.com, the organisers are now looking for sponsorship and grants.

Mr Trickey added: "I don't envisage regatta week will go down, but we can't keep putting our own money in, or accepting the money of other committee members to save it."

One previous year, a red carpet night was held at the Hole in the Roof pub to help pay for the Party on the Prom which had fallen into jeopardy over cash woes.

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Mr Trickey stressed that very little public funding is received to run the week of events.

Walmer Parish Council contributes £400 towards the Teddy Bears' Picnic on the green opposite its office and Deal Town Council has this year agreed a grant of £1780 for insurance and a contribution towards the road closures.

He stressed: "The only thing that puts us off of getting bigger and expanding is the financial input.

"We'd like more bands - Bands cost 400.

"We don't have reserves - we run to the budget.

"To organise the week of activities, we have over 2,000 unpaid volunteer hours going into it and have to raise that £25,000 from advertising in the programme, sponsorship, and from donations from the people we put it on for. It is a lack of donations that have let us down."

Notable sponsors who support the event year in year out include the Woolls family (Party on the Prom and fireworks), Deal Beach Parlours (baby show), Forrest Amusements (fireworks on the Saturday and soft toys for the Teddy Bears' Picnic), MKM Builders (lorry pull), castle Removals (Raft Race) and Deal Tri who sponsor the seaswim.

You can donate by clicking the link at the top of the page, or by calling in to the East Kent Mercury offices, 13 Queen Street, Deal.

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