Committee members from Ormskirk Community Partnership are busily making the final preparations for this year’s Gingerbread Festival on Sunday the 14^th July.For those unaware, Ormskirk Community Partnership founded the Gingerbread Festival in 2016, when it was held on a Saturday alongside the traditional market - performers were present to demonstrate a wide variety of talents, while local groups provided an eclectic soundtrack to brighten everyone’s day.Organised with assistance from the council, 2018 saw the increasingly successful festival move to a Sunday, where the whole town centre was dedicated to the Gingerbread Festival and a celebration of Ormskirk’s heritage.

And last year’s festival was an immense success - footfall readings in the town centre were at record levels, there were many happy faces, and retailers reported a significant fillip to their summer trade.Circus skills enthusiasts from Edge Hill University worked tirelessly to demonstrate and teach the basics to local children, while the legendary Mr Stix squeezed in almost back-to-back performances for the whole day ensuring there was little opportunity for the kids to get bored.With such success in 2018, OCP are hoping that 2019 will once again be a record-setter! The event will follow a similar format, with many local traders grasping the opportunity for a market stall on the day, and certain town centre retailers will be serving fresh gingerbread – naturally made to traditional Ormskirk traditional recipes.Edge Hill University will once again be providing entertainment throughout the day, and we’ve been warned to keep an eye out for the surprise ‘flash mob’ that will be springing up, as well as performances especially prepared for the day. There will also be a free prize draw. Entry is via ticket, participants simply need to fill in their details on the free tickets which are available on the day, or in some retailers beforehand. Entries should be returned to the Ormskirk Community Partnership stall during the festival while those who are unable to make the day can drop their entries in at Church Street Jewellers sometime before the event.Funding such events is always a challenge, but support and assistance from Edward McCarthy Support Services means the Committee has been able to secure essential funding fromThe Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund and the National Lottery Community Fund. OCP are also grateful for other donations from The Dulverton Trust and The Elsie Talbot Bridge Will Trust, and 2019 festival sponsors Bradley Hall and Merseyrail, as without these funds and Edward’s unique skill set, the challenges of such a festival could prove to be insurmountable.OCP Chairman, Dave Mutch, added: "Things are once again shaping up to be a real partnership this year – we have involvement from large companies, youth organisations, the University, local businesses and of course the Council – we just need residents to turn up and enjoy a fantastic day. We hope to see everyone there”.More information about OCP and specifics for the day can be found atwww.ormskirkgingerbread.com or emailingfestival@ormskirkgingerbread.com