HEADINGTON Festival returns on Sunday and this year has been entirely funded by the community – with a helping hand from the Oxford Mail and Comic Relief.

The annual event usually gets £1,000 from Oxford City Council, but this year organisers worked hard to raise £4,000 needed themselves.

That included a £500 grant from our Red Nose Day Community Cash campaign, which invited bids for charity cash.

Tanya Field, of the festival organising committee, said: “It has been more hard work, but Headington businesses have been really supportive. They’ve been very eager to help.”

Mrs Field, which is also the chairwoman of Cherry Tree Nursery, added: “Headington has a really good feeling about it. There’s a lot of community spirit and people helping out.”

About £2,800 has been raised in sponsorship from businesses, including Waitrose, Scott Fraser and Andrews Estate Agents.

The free festival is run by a core of volunteers, as a sub-committee of Headington Action, so the work is spread around.

It has particular poignancy this year, as the organisers of the Barton Bash festival called off their event last week due to mounting paperwork.

Mrs Field, who helps at the Barton Bash, said: “There is quite a lot of red tape to get through. I know the city council are doing all they can to get the event back on track.

“I think in the future we in Headington could possibly look at helping to organise the Barton Bash too, as when you organise two events, you can duplicate a lot of things happening.”

This year’s Headington Festival will be held in Bury Knowle Park. It is now in its ninth year and will take place from 1pm until 5pm on Sunday.

Last year’s festival attracted 3,500 people and organisers are expecting similar numbers this year.

Mrs Field said: “This year’s theme is ‘All Join In’ so people can join in with zumba dance classes, singing and theatre workshops. There is something for everybody”

Visitors can expect a fun fair, climbing wall and the ever-popular welly-wanging competition.

Mrs Field added: “We’ve got a huge range of different stalls and people coming along.

“That’s what’s quite nice about the festival, from estate agents and PTAs to big charities and local businesses, everyone comes together.”

Elaine Bellenger, of the Monaco fashion shop in Old High Street, said: “This event attracts thousands of people to Headington and I know a lot of the major businesses help with the costs. I’ll be opening on Sunday, which I never do. I’m really looking forward to it.”

City council spokesman Louisa Dean said: “It is a credit to the organisers of Headington Festival in the way their event has developed from year to year.”

To find out more, visit headington.org.uk/hcda/festival