MAKING OUR EVENT SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE
We live in an age where everyone is trying to reduce their environmental impact.
Making this happen with an event like ours isn’t straightforward. But it’s not impossible either.
Bonfire & Fireworks is Winchester’s biggest charity event. Winchester Round Table is proud to donate every pound we raise to local good causes after the cost of staging the event has been deducted. This means Winchester charities receive thousands of pounds of investment thanks to everyone who attends every year.
BUILDING BETTER BONFIRES
Many years ago our bonfire was a very simple setup – lots of wood of all different shapes and sizes, stacked in a huge pile.
This meant it was bulky, difficult to work at height and not many people could see it when it was time to set it alight.
Our modern bonfire is made from wooden pallets that are fixed into large cube shapes and stacked one on top of the other.
WHY IS THIS BETTER?
- Sustainably-sourced wood. We use pallets that are at the end of their working life, cannot be recycled and would otherwise have been incinerated.
- More height, less volume. By using the cubing method, we can build a bonfire visible for the entire display arena, made with less wood than stacking.
- No mixed materials. The pallets make up the vast majority of our bonfire. We do not accept any scrap wood donations from anyone.
EMISSIONS
We understand that Bonfire Night can be a frightening experience for pets.
We also believe that by having one, large bonfire and fireworks display in Winchester, it discourages smaller localised displays from taking place, giving pet owners notice to make necessary arrangements to comfort their pets at the advertised times.
We make every effort to stick to these times, though circumstances beyond our control may delay proceedings.
Before the bonfire is lit, we check for local wildlife.
Our cubing system (building wooden pallets into cubes and stacking them) allows us to create a small network of flues at the base of the bonfire. These flues can be accessed to allow an inspection. Any wildlife that has found its way in is removed to a safe place.
ANIMAL WELFARE
We understand that Bonfire Night can be a frightening experience for pets.
We also believe that by having one, large bonfire and fireworks display in Winchester, it discourages smaller or backyard displays from taking place, giving pet owners notice to make necessary arrangements to comfort their pets at the advertised times.
We make every effort to stick to these times, though circumstances beyond our control may delay proceedings.
Before the bonfire is lit, we check for local wildlife.
Our cubing system (building wooden pallets into cubes and stacking them) allows us to create a small network of flues at the base of the bonfire. These flues can be accessed to allow an inspection. Any wildlife that has found its way in is removed to a safe place.
THE FUTURE
Round Table’s motto is to adopt, adapt and improve.
This is exactly what we do with Bonfire & Fireworks every year.
We review what went right, what we could have done better and what technology and resources we can use for future events. No two Bonfire & Fireworks events are the same.
DRONES
Drones are increasingly popular at large-scale displays and venues that can host light shows on multiple nights of the year.
At the moment, we are not considering replacing or augmenting our fireworks display with drones.
The cost of a customised drone show is still prohibitively expensive for our event.
We pride ourselves on hosting an event which is affordable for everyone to be able to attend, and a drone show would significantly increase the price of a ticket.
We also want to have enough to give away to local good causes too. Our event is strictly not for profit and all money raised after the huge costs of staging the event is given away to Winchester charities. The cost of a drone show would prevent us from doing so.
However, if the cost of a drone show becomes affordable in future, it is something we would consider.
