THE much-loved Trowbridge Apple Festival has been cancelled this year after its organiser said she hasn’t been able to find extra help to coordinate the event.

The annual festival, which is usually held in October, had become a family friendly day-out as people were able to taste a wide variety of apples while taking part in activities like apple bobbing, apple juice making and apple tasting.

The festival is organised by The BIG Community Grow, founded by Mel Jacob and Jacky Good, but it was confirmed that with Mrs Good bowing out due to family commitments, Mrs Jacob is unable to continue alone this year.

She said: “It has been a difficult and sad decision but without extra help and volunteers I can’t organise and run the event this year on my own, even with my family helping out. We hope we can find some willing helpers and put the event on in 2017 as we are really committed to this the Apple Festival and all it stands for.

“We are sorry to disappoint families and friends this year and hope to return in the future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those individuals and organisations that have supported our work over the last five years – it was invaluable and I hope we will be able to work with you again in the future.”

The Big Community Grow has recently been working towards becoming a registered charity and has now appointed a board of trustees who have agreed with the decision. Other projects already in progress such as the Community Garden will continue to be supported.

Mrs Jacob added: “Personally I would to thank Jacky for all the hard work and amazing inspiration she has given Big Community Grow from very beginning when we founded it together, Jacky has been the hardest working person I have ever met and it has been a hard decision to try and carry on without her. If we can’t find other people to help out we won’t be able to continue.”

Big Community Grow is now hoping to put on a small apple workshop on October 29 with the location and times yet to be announced.

If anyone would like to volunteer, contact Mel Jacob by emailing meljacob@bigcommunitygrow.org