Caroline Aston, Launches Oakham Festival at Oakham Castle

Caroline Aston, Launches Oakham Festival at Oakham Castle

Caroline Aston Threatened Legal Action if I Publish Her Photograph.

Caroline Aston  regularly writes something for  UK premier royalty magazine 'Majesty' and something for
'The Daily Telegraph'.

She was one of the specially commissioned group of essayists who wrote the acclaimed collection of pieces published to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Diana, Princess of Wales' death and HM The Queen's 80th birthday. She has filmed a BBC mini-series on British stately homes and acts as an historical advisor to several BBC stations.

It has been said of her that if history gives you a headache then she is the human equivalent of aspirin!

Her chief interests are Queen Victoria and her descendants, Edwardian High Society plus etiquette, style, food and fashion history. She is a nationally acclaimed public speaker and broadcaster and has featured at the American International Schools conferences in Europe as well as being a well known and popular speaker on the great Cunard liners.

She is currently writing a book on Edwardian society ladies and recently wrote and co-starred in a two woman play based on these ladies' lives.

Her business partner and fellow actress is TV presenter Anne Davies (currently presents BBC East Midlands Today) who launched GMTV with Eamonn Holmes and they will present Caroline's play at next year's Edinburgh Festival. As 'Aston and Annie' they write, produce and present intimate insights into social history at prestigious venues throughout the UK.

The Festival Launch was attended mainly by the Committee Members, Festival Helpers and performers of the Four Winds Festival. It would have been good to see more members of the community present. 

For more information about Oakham Festival you might like to visit www.oakhamfestival.co.uk

Email: contact@oakhamfestival.co.uk

Voluntary Action Rutland Keeping its head above water after huge funding cuts imposed by Conservatives at Rutland County Council and Oakham Festival

Oakham Town Councillor Maureen Dodds reported Voluntary Action Rutland Keeping its head above water after huge funding cuts imposed by Rutland County Council, The Conservatives Cabinet at Rutland County Council imposed huge cuts to all voluntary organisations throughout Rutland.


They also banned grant applications from Arts and Community groups and added this excludes Conservative Councillors Peter Jones Arts for Rutland??

Maybe Oakham Town Council can give some funds to VAR, instead of giving away public money too the Festival and not knowing how this will be spent.


Oakham Town Council  imposed a similar ban like RCC, they said they would only accept applications from their very small list of favourite groups. This includes Joy Everett's  Oakham/Rutland Festival. She is also a committee member of Arts for Rutland and recently proposed Conservative Peter Jones for the May council elections. Joy was also part of the Oakham Carnival who have given up after infighting amongst the committee members, leaving Councillor Maureen Dodds responsible for a large amount of public money, which she now says she has given away to various Rutland Charities. the money given by Oakham Town Council was required by law too only benefit Oakham residents not the whole of Rutland. If she was the only remaining member how did she do this? was there not more than one signature required on the account and what safeguards are in place so she does not give away Oakham in Bloom funds if that committee happens to fall apart. Councillor Maureen Dodds is also Chair of that committee and receives public funds from Oakham Town Council.


Funding rules have changed arts groups must provide full audited accounts and match funding from this month.


when I return to Oakham Town Council, I will be asking Oakham Town Council to lift its ban and scrap the exclusive list  as I feel this restricts other parts of the community doing their own thing.  They have just as much right to a chance to access public money as any of those listed on the group.
 
The Oakham/Rutland festival have been on the phone begging for their grant, they have still failed to tell the council how this public money will be spent for the benefit of the Oakham Community.

The Town Clerk said "They can have the money and they will get it as soon as the first half of the precept is received from Rutland County Council"

I believe this grant has been awarded illegally and the Joy Everett and the Town Clerk are going to make sure the Festival gets its money. 


If Joy has said the festival was going to use the money to scrap admission charges to the castle events I would not be complaining. Many families cannot afford the £10 per head admission, so this means events in the castle grounds become restricted to the elite along with their M&S hampers and sparkling wine. (Most people have seen my past photographs). In the past grants have never been used for the benefit of all Oakham's residents.


Voluntary Action Rutland supports and promotes local voluntary action by providing advice, information, support, training and consultation

www.varutland.org.uk

Oakham Festival Grant Oakham Rutland Festival Oakham Town Council

Oakham Festival Grant Oakham Rutland Festival Oakham Town Council.

Oakham Festival is awarded £2000 no surprise there.

It seems the Oakham Festival has become the Rutland Festival, poor Uppingham!

Cllrs surprised me they have slightly grasped the idea you cant hand out large sums of money without asking what this money is going to be used for, but not quite all the way there.

I spoke at deputations and reminded members of my past concerns.

Cllr approved the grant providing the Festival Committee tell the council how they spent the money! and it is only used in Oakham and not Uppingham or Rutland Water.


Dear Oakham Town Council,

I wish to apply for a grant of £2,000 I will spend it in Oakham I will let you know later

Kind regards

Martin

Oakham Town Council Set Budget No Increase in Council Tax Next Year

Oakham Town Council accepted a draft budget and politics have helped decide, to aim not to increase the council tax bills next April.

You would never guess an election is due next May.

3 councillors voted against the proposal and although I like the sound of no increase it may prove to be a false statement.

11 companies have tendered for  the grounds maintenance contract and I think that is going to increase.
The Clerks pay rise and other things will certainly increase.

This years bill did get a special page in the RCC booklet because it was to high so no increase maybe a good thing.

Some Councillors raised the issue of grant, Cllr Haworth would be unhappy if the CAB grant was cut.

The Clerk got cross with Cllr Tor Clark.

Cllr Alan Walters said he was concerned some local groups could drop in and almost expect to get funding.

He wont name them but I will name one the Oakham Festival the chairwoman was seen buttering up the Clerk yesterday for their annual cash sum as she handed in her request.

I am hoping the Clerk will remember what the auditor said when he advises councillors.

You cant just throw public money at groups with out justifying it use.

He hoped the council would sponsor an event at the festival and people could attend free then it would be money spent on all the towns people not just a few who pay.

Maybe they can sponsor  an evening event at the castle let the the people enjoy the noise of the strangled cats on stage as one facebook user described a previous event.

Of course letting people in  would  upset the elite M&S Pic Nics.

Rutland Hippo Trail

The Blue Hippo Deans Street Oakham

This Hippo can be found behind two locked

glass door, a person told me the other day

when they attempted to complete the Hippo Trail

they found many were not available to see.

They also calculated it was a 40 mile trip to see all

Hippo's (not very green)

Image via Wikipedia

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Music & More Melton Road Oakham

Oakham Festival Committee Member

who said I was a waste of space!

often takes up pedestrian space.

Search on for missing hippos from Rutland art trail

A Rutland Hippo Smashed as thieves try to steal another BBC Video Joy Everitt explaining

Click Here For BBC News Video
My comment the festival is over put them away before it gets worse.

Oakham Festival

Oakham Festival

Has Now Finished

For Another Year

No Comment!

The Merry Monk Staff Will Be Pleased To

Rest From Serving All Those Burgers

Breeze Play at the Oakham Festival

m

Locked Out performing at Oakham Festival

Tonight was Oakham Festivals party night

The event was attended by a small group of people.

The Festival Run Its Own Bar

if it was licenced then

the licence holder should know it is illegal

a bar for staff to drink whilst working, if this law was observed

 then Anne from Music and More

would not have been offended

when i suggested she was drunk when she insulted me

I wont be stepping aside to let any other

councillor suffer the committee chaired by Joy Everett.

It was clear to me Oakham Festival is not monitoring its

spending as the chairman was happily giving friends drinks on house her words.

I was asked why I was at the event I replied as a committee member

a Oakham Town Councillor and a photographer.

I was asked if I had paid by Joys husband no one asked me to pay

infact until this point no one spoke to me from the committee

None of the committee appeared to pay.

Photographs of the events will appear on

 blog tomorrow

morning

Ivan Linford Oakham Festival

Oakham Festival

Ivan Linford

Musical Delight

Ivan Linford will reflect the

American theme of this year's

Oakham Festival

with a concert in

All Saints' Church, Oakham

tonight 7.30pm

music by Charles Ives, Sam Barber, and Philip Glass

http://www.wegottickets.com/

Oakham Festival Committee

Oakham Town Council elected me to represent the Council on the Committee of The Oakham Festival.

After the chair Joy Everett  was shown e-mails from another Councillor, the committee stated I was not wanted.

Oakham Town Council is very keen to appoint a member, as one of the larger sponsors using tax payers money it needs to be seen spending the money it receives from tax payers responsibly.

I sense the Council has possibly been advised by the auditor, money should not be handed out to organisation without a clear purpose, there is talk of Oakham Town Council only sponsoring an single event.

After consideration I agree the Council needs to appoint a representative and at the next Council meeting 7th July I will be proposing Cllr lorna Grey is appointed, Councillor will if seconded vote on this proposal. If the proposal is not seconded I will invoke the six month  rule. I feel this may need to be revoked before we can even discuss this appointment.

I am very disappointed.

I received a telephone call from the town clerk and the item has been placed on next weeks agenda, he asked if I could call into the office to confirm this would be ok.
I visited the office and as I entered he through his arms up in despair when he saw I had arrived. I find it hard to believe he had forgotten he had only minutes before invited me!

Rutland Hippos

If you live here in Oakham you are not allowed to have a opinion!

If you show the slightest signs you might be critical they certainly let you know. 

I will repeat the educational value of the hippo project was valuable for the school children.
The cost of nearly a £1000 per hippo is far to high and the chairman of the festival admitted they did not raise enough sponsorship. I would suggest the tax payer is out of pocket, yes Arts Council Money is tax payers money.

I am no longer bothered about this small group of people and will publish any insult posted or received, Google Alerts is a very handy tool it even gives users access to locked facebook posts.

Interestingly this small group of local people made up of Cllrs and Ex Cllrs and friends think they speak for the whole of Oakham. Sadly they don't many of the other residents would probably use more intelligent words to describe me, moron is a new one this week.

Posted by
Jonny Rudd Do the Hippo trail, ignore the moron Martin Brookes as a Councillor he should support, not attempt to crush local events.




23 June at 18:01 · LikeUnlike · 5 people

Oakham Festival Comedy at the Merry Monk

I was looking forward to the comedy at the Merry Monk it was highly recommended on facebook by Mr Rudd, Strangely I was not the only person to be disappointed as the act was heckled off the stage.

I am sure Mr Rudd was disappointed, I cant image which Councillor he was referring to, although looking and his friends postings it would not be hard to guess.

Posted on Festival Face Book Group
Jonny Rudd There should be plenty of hilarious skits from the local lone councillor, and his weird and wonderous outlandish unfounded accusation against locals.


23 June at 18:25 · LikeUnlike · 3 people · Flag

Despite the hype the festival gets worse each year. The highlight of the evening was when I entered seeing how rude my fellow committee members are, I was wondering if Joyce Everett could tell members it is very rude to point and to talk about people when they are present. The woman in the black t-shirt being the biggest offender. The behaviour of these people reminded me of Cllr Joyce Lucas.

Rutland County College Oakham Arts festival

Oakham Town Council Oakham Festival

http://www.oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk/members.asp    New Cllr Lorna Grey


Looking at the Town Council web site it is good to see a cheerful new face.

My photo is terrible I am hoping Mr Walters will offer to take another one. I did not do a good job myself.

I was sent a link last week suggesting his was the best looking, I will decline to comment.

It gave me good idea for next weeks vote. I will run two poles.

Miss Oakham Town Council and Mr Oakham Town Council 2010

I noticed my new appointments have been listed.

Oakham Festival, One of the groups that don't want me because they were shown emails,  containing comments relating to Oakham Town Councillors. They also say I have blogged inaccurate info about them. Then tell me and it could be corrected if true. As for my emails shown to you why not question the motives of the person showing them and what if anything do they have to do with the arts in Rutland apart from most of your members support the Cllrs involved with the problem I have to deal with.

Oakham Town Council give one of larger sums of tax payers money to this group and it tells me they have never had a member of the Council attend its committee meetings.

Surely the tax payer has a right to know this money is spent wisely

I would suggest funding is not given next year. No wonder Oakham School withdrew funding two years ago.


Letter From Oakham Festival: my comments in red


Oakham Festival 2010

Chair: Joy Everitt
41 Trent Road
Oakham
Rutland

Phone: 01572 723393

Email: contact@oakhamfestival.co.uk

Richard White    (hes the town clerk very good friend of the committee)
Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall
High Street
Oakham

Dear Richard,

Thank you for your letter informing Oakham Festival Committee that Mr M Brookes
was nominated as representative from the town council to the festival.

Unfortunately the festival committee is unable to accept this nomination. (now here is the funny bit I am sure if you welcome someone you have accepted?)
We welcomed Mr Brookes to our launched on Friday, (she actually made an effort to publicly announce my acceptance)
but since then we have seen written inaccuracies about our work and many emails with comments and disparaging remarks about councillors, others and the festival.  (I have asked the town clerk to ask Joy Everitt to show us the emails containing the disparaging remarks, his reply was I will ask but she doesn't have to show them) (even if these emails did exist, I would be concerned if a Cllr was distributing to members of the public all my emails sent to Cllr clearly states the following  "Any form of reproduction, dissemination, copying, disclosure, modification, distribution and/or publication of this e-mail message is strictly prohibited.")
The festival is made up of volunteers and works very hard to put on a mix of entertainment over the two weeks of the festival. (now the grovel otherwise who would pay for the wine) We value the support and interest and sponsorship from the town council, but do not feel this appointment would benefit either party.
We hope to work closely with you all in the future. We will submit our evaluation, accounts and tickets as normal after the festival.

Youurs sincerely

Joy Everitt
Chairman

http://www.oakhamfestival.co.uk/

At the end of the festival there is a party in the castle grounds they charge considerable more at the door to keep out ordinary locals. The Elite pic nic from there M&S freezer boxes. hopefully this festival will be the last and like Uppingham and some one can organise events for the ordinary people of Oakham. The Oakham fun day and carnival that tags onto to the festival is very much a fun day for all not just the elite.

Anyone found those missing Rutland Hippos?

Oakham Fun Day and Carnival

I was wondering who the other committee members are for the Oakham Fun Day and Carnival.

I was elected to represent the Council on this committee along with the Oakham Festival.

Stangely within hours of this election Joy Everitt and other members of the Oakham Festival were informed.

I am told this was not the case for the Oakham Carnival and Fun Day. Although the Chairman was present as a Cllr at our very good Town Council meeting.

The Clerk said he wrote to the Chairman to formally notify the committee, sadly she has had a accident so she would not have seen the letter.

I find it hard to believe the deputy chair or any other members did not know I was appointed and then make themselves known to me.

I was looking forward to assisting at the event. I will not be attending any event I am not welcome at.

For others the event takes place this Sunday in Cutts Close the Carnival will reflect one hundred years of Oakham.

Oakham Festival Highlight by Helen Pender

Helen Pender

Invites All

to a comedy highlight of

the festival

Oakham Town Council Meeting Tonight

Not sure the tax payer if they

attended would find the

meetings funny,

http://helenpender.blogspot.com/2010/06/town-council-meeting-23-june-2010-at-7.html

Town Council meeting 23 June 2010 at 7 pm

In the Chair tonight will be the redoubtable Cllr Joyce Lucas who so ably chaired the Tesco Council meeting on 26th May, which impressed all residents attending. One comment after that meeting was: @It was better than the Vicar of Dibley' - that from **********. How well observed ***********! It was certainly a most memorable evening.

If there's nothing much on television tonight this meeting might be worth a visit too. It is after all festival week and I can't see any comedy evenings listed elsewhere on the programme.

Clllr Joyce Lucas