ORGANISERS of a one day festival in Whitchurch are making a plea to local businesses to sponsor the event.

The Caldecott Arts Festival is scheduled to be held on March 19 at locations across Whitchurch.

To make the festival a reality, the organisers are calling on local businesses to pledge their support through a variety of sponsorship opportunities.

The festival has been created in honour of Randolph Caldecott, an artist who resided in Whitchurch in the 1860s.

Dr Norma Raynes, Chairman of the event, said: “The Caldecott Festival is not only a celebration of the creative spirit, innovation, and humour of this inspiring 19th century artist.

“It’s also a way to further raise the profile of our wonderful and historic market town as well as the surrounding areas of Shropshire, Cheshire and the Welsh Border, as pioneering hubs of creativity and innovation.

“Our ultimate vision is to make Whitchurch the ‘go-to’ venue for an arts extravaganza and to inspire individuals of all ages to follow their dreams (just as Caldecott did all those years ago).”

“We’re so excited to be bringing this event to Whitchurch for the very first time, and know that with the support of our fantastic businesses, it can be something truly magnificent.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together to show the rest of the world what we can do, and we’d love as many businesses as possible to pledge their support.”

Randolph Caldecott is acknowledged as an innovator of the modern picture book, with his work being recognised by the Royal Academy and his illustrations influencing generations of artists and authors.

The organisers of the festival stated that: “The festival, designed to be an inclusive, family-friendly celebration, has already attracted national and international attention and is set to welcome visitors from far and wide to the town.”

Any business interested in learning more about the festival and the sponsorship packages available should contact the organisers on 07900 051215 or Info@Caldecottfestival.org.uk