Lack of treasurer forces cancellation of village show

9:17am Friday 16th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A TRADITIONAL village show has been cancelled after it was left without a treasurer.

Christine Cooper has devoted more than 25 years to Seamer Show, the last 13 as treasurer.

But, two years ago, she told the show committee she had to give up the role because of family commitments. Mrs Cooper looks after her twin two-year-old grandsons, Dominic and Luke, while her daughter and son-in-law work.

She said she would stay on until the committee found a replacement, but she can no longer continue and has been forced to step down.

Mrs Cooper, who has lived in Seamer, near Stokesley, for nearly 35 years, said: We have had two years to try and find somebody and nobody wants the job. Im looking after my two-year-old grandsons and I struggled last year. This year its an impossibility as my daughter has gone back to work full time.

The show, one of the biggest of its kind for a small village, first started in 1900. It was stopped during the war years and became the Seamer, Newby and Hilton Show after the Second World War, running for a few years before finishing.

It started up again as a gymkhana in the 1970s and has continued ever since. It has been cancelled only twice for foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 and because of the weather in 2006.

The event has slowly been built up to become one of the most popular on the show calendar.

I feel guilty in one sense, said Mrs Cooper. But Im not superwoman. I cannot do this much and my family come first. Perhaps this will prick the conscience of those in the village.

Its never been like it has in the last few years, so its just a shame to let it go all for the sake of one job.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to become the treasurer for Seamer Show can contact Mrs Cooper on 01642-710294. The job does require some banking or accounting experience.