Volunteers sought to help make this year's event a great success

Organisers of the annual Wimbledon Village Fair are seeking volunteers to help make this year's event, which supports the Wimbledon Guild, even more successful than 2009.

And you will be joining a list of celebrity helpers, for well-known local residents Annette Crosbie and June Whitfield are joined by Timothy West, Prunella Scales, and comedians Hugh Dennis, Steve Punt, Tony Hawks, Sandi Toksvig, Andy Hamilton, and Clive Anderson in recording the appeals that will be going out over the fair's loudspeakers.

The event takes place on Wimbledon Common on Saturday June 19, and includes a horse show, dog show, food village and 200 craft and produce stalls.

Volunteers will be needed for all sorts of activities, from setting up at dawn, to helping on stalls, making tea and coffee, selling raffle tickets or offering technical expertise.

Wimbledon Village fair is the biggest fund-raising event for the 100-year-old Wimbledon Guild, which provides many valued services to people living in the area.

Annette Crosbie: "You might have seen their van going round, collecting donated goods and taking them to furnish homes for people making a fresh start, such as re-settled Gurkha families or women coming out of refuges."

Steve Punt added: "If you're in distress, counselling can often help, but it can be expensive. Counselling at the Guild is free to under-18s, and adults pay according to what they can afford."

Hugh Dennis gave another example of the Guild's work: "If the police need to break down a door to check an elderly person is safe, it's important that the door is replaced - but neither the police nor the council can help. The Guild can, and does," he said.

To volunteer, see www.wimbledonguild.co.uk, or contact the events team on 020 8946 0735, events@wimbledonguild.co.uk.

March 29, 2010