A Salvation Army volunteer has saved a well-loved community festival from being cancelled.

The Woodford Festival Association announced today (Tuesday April 26) that this year’s festival will go ahead between October 1 and October 9, after major concerns there would be no one to organise it.

The festival’s new coordinator is the Salvation Army’s community chaplain for South Woodford, Major Paul Holifield.

The chaplain, of Cranbourne Avenue, Wanstead, said: “There was a big question mark over whether this year’s festival could go ahead.

“So as community chaplain I decided to step in as coordinator because I didn’t want to see such a great community event fall by the wayside.

“It’s already taking up 50 per cent of my time, but it will all be worth it come October.”

The festival, which has taken place in community halls, libraries and pubs since 2008, celebrates the best of talent in Woodford and is completely run by volunteers.

Former coordinator Anny Wortley-Millek, of Forest Approach, Woodford Green, said: “Our main aim is bringing the community together and showcasing the amazing talent we have here in the west of the borough.”

The seventh Woodford Festival will include over different events.

For more information, see the website.

http://www.woodfordfestival.org.uk/