LEADERS in Bordon and Whitehill are hoping to put the area on the map other than for military reasons, with the first Bordon and Whitehill Arts Festival. The festival aims to bring together the community in a celebration of residents' artistic talents, and to create a positive and vibrant atmosphere in the town. Ten days of events - including dance displays, concerts, art exhibitions and theatre productions - are aimed to showcase local performers' talents. There will be performances by local bands, children and young people, the JanSu School of Dance and The Phoenix Theatre Company. Activities will be spread across a number of venues in the town, including the Forest Community Centre, the Mill Chase Community Technology College, the Garrison Church Field, The Phoenix Field and The Phoenix Theatre. A partnership of local organisations will be running the festival, including the Mill Chase Community Technology Coll-ege, St George's Garrison Church, St Mark's Church and Whitehill Town Council. Their efforts will be headed by Phoenix director Jane Dawes and theatre manager Peni Partfitt. The festival will run from Friday, June 30, to Sunday, July 9, with the final weekend incorporating the annual Garrison Festival (comprising of the Garrison Fete on Saturday and Party in the Park on Sunday). The fete has grown in size since it began six years ago, and this year it will feature adult and child fun runs, vintage cars, shooting and archery competitions, and a special performance by the Lowland Band - the band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland which leads the Edinburgh Tattoo. Party in the Park brings local music acts together. Admission to the Garrison Festival is free, although money from donations will help children from Chenobyl and children with leukeamia. The Bordon and Whitehill Arts Festival will also give audiences an opportunity to see live performances by touring professionals. Ms Dawes said she had been approached by Whitehill Town Council with a view to establishing a festival to rival those of surrounding towns. It has taken the group 18 months, and backing from the parish, district and county councils, to finalise an itinerary which organisers are confident will cater for people of all ages. There are plans to make the arts festival a biannual occasion if this first attempt proves to be a success. Mrs Dawes said: "We hope that people will come from across the area to find out what our thriving community has to offer. "We want to celebrate the talents of the people living here and show that although they are an active part of the town, there is more to Bordon and Whitehill than the Army." Reverend Pat Aldred, of St George's Garrison Church, said: "This is a great example of the military and the local communities coming together."
