Movies and Musicals

Billericay’s Fireworks night is run successfully and superbly by Billericay Round Table every year (apart from Covid!).  It does so with the support of all the service clubs in the town, including our Rotary Clubs, the cadets, and other volunteers.  2025 was the 54th annual event!  We had missed last year’s Fireworks event due to its clash with our own club event that afternoon and evening, we were keen to help out Round Table this year.

Five members – President Stephen, Robert Gregory, Les Sheppard, Roger Kettle and Peter Greene – all volunteered to man a gate at the event in Lake Meadows Park.
What was the running order?

• 5pm    Gates Open
• 5.40pm    Radio Essex Entertainment from the large stage with multiple singing acts
• 6.15pm     Torchlight Procession
• 6.30pm     Bonfire lit
• 7.15pm     Billericay Round Table’s Chairman’s Address
• 7.30pm     Main Fireworks Display Starts
• 7.50pm     Main Display Ends, DJ starts
• 8.30pm     DJ finish

No Way In

We were all on duty at the footpath from the station where it reached the car park at Lake Meadows, to prevent people getting in without paying, and redirecting genuine attendees to the entrance off Lake Avenue. As we each arrived at the car park and made our way up the path to its junction with Lake Avenue we hit our first obstacle – the path was closed off with 2 metre high fencing and unlike in previous years when we could manoeuvre the fencing to get past, this time it was all cable-tied together and to permanent fences and trees. Immovable!

We had to retrace our steps and take the long way round the toilet, the café in the park, and up to the Lake Avenue entrance to the park, before turning down Lake Avenue to our appointed station. 

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The first attendees arrived just after 5 p.m. and the numbers gradually grew until about 7.20 pm when they slowed to almost nothing.
The Good – almost everybody was well behaved and polite, wishing us a good evening and “thank you”, and didn’t object to the extra short walk to the Lake Avenue entrance.  Human behaviour at its best.
The Bad – as people arrived we gave them simple instructions – “go to the end of the cul-de-sac, turn right, and the entrance is on your left about 30 yards up”.  Did we say simple?  Then why did over 30 percent of the people reach the end and turn left not right??  Unbelievable.
Eventually we split up and had to station two of our members at the end to stop people turning left and go the right way.
The Ugly – only one person had arranged to meet her mother at the main entrance to collect the tickets and had to go the long way round to reach her, but she understood the situation.  However, one person was absolutely irate that he couldn’t get down the path and threatened to climb over the fencing.  We didn’t obstruct him but told him it wasn’t safe and it was at his own risk.  He eventually gave up and went to the Lake Avenue entrance to get in.  Not a pleasant interlude.

Hardly anybody gave the familiar “I don’t want to see the fireworks but just get to my home on the other side of the park”.

An Amazing Display

Although we were quite a way from the main event, the bonfire after it was lit at 6.30 p.m., was so enormous that we could clearly see it in all its splendour from where we were standing.

Unlike our last time at the event, this year the weather was kind to us.  Dry, and not too cold so no disruption to the Fireworks display at all

The Park was packed and moving was difficult but not impossible, and all the over 14,400 attendees were able to watch an amazing and colourful fireworks display which seemed to last nearly half an hour of continuous aerial colour.  See the photos.

Once the display was over the final task was to ensure the crowds left the site safely.  Smiling faces showed that everyone had enjoyed the event. 

A great evening out!

Congratulations to Round Table for another Brilliant Event!