Community comes together for successful Enhamfest
Residents, families and visitors came together for a day of fun, entertainment and community spirit at Enhamfest, held this year at the Enham Alamein Sports Field on Saturday 12 September, supported by grant funding from Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC).
The much-loved annual event, organised by Enham Trust and in partnership with Enham Alamein Parish Council, was supported by a £1,000 councillor community grant. The funding helped provide essential facilities and entertainment for the day, including accessible toilets, event infrastructure and activities that enabled people of all ages and abilities to take part
The event welcomed a strong turnout from across the local community and featured live music, inflatable attractions, farm animals, games, face painting, a dog show, line dancing, stalls and fundraising activities. This year's event was the first to be held at the larger sports field site, giving organisers more space to expand the programme and welcome even more visitors. The day was held to raise money to support Enham Trust's work helping disabled people live, work and enjoy life to the full, reflecting the generosity of attendees and making it one of the charity's most successful community fundraising events to date.
At the heart of the event was a focus on bringing people together. For many people supported by Enham Trust, accessible community events can be difficult to reach due to transport challenges and the cost of travelling further afield. By providing an inclusive event within the village, the fayre created opportunities for people to connect with friends, neighbours and the wider community in a welcoming environment.
People supported by Enham Trust played an active role throughout the day, including providing music through Radio Enham, performing and running stalls. Their involvement helped create a vibrant atmosphere while showcasing talents, building confidence and creating opportunities to participate fully in community life.
Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Phil North attended the event and spent time meeting residents, volunteers and organisers while enjoying the activities on offer. As a long-standing supporter of Enham Trust and its work within the community, he praised the positive impact the organisation continues to have on the lives of local people.
Councillor North said: "It was wonderful to see so many people coming together and enjoying everything the Enhamfest had to offer. Enham Trust has been at the heart of the community for generations, and events like this show the difference it makes in bringing people together, creating opportunities and helping people feel connected. The atmosphere throughout the day was fantastic and I'm delighted the councillor community grant was able to support such a successful and inclusive event."
Sadie Iveson, chair of the 2026 Enhamfest committee, added: "We were thrilled by the turnout and the support shown by the community. Enhamfest is about creating an event where everyone feels welcome and can enjoy spending time together. It was fantastic to see residents, families, volunteers and people supported by Enham Trust enjoying the day side by side. We'd like to thank everyone who supported, attended, volunteered, performed or ran a stall for helping make the event such a success."
Funds raised during the day will support Enham Trust's ongoing work helping disabled people to live, work and enjoy life to the full, as independently as possible.