![The dates are announced for this year's Kempsey Eisteddfod but volunteers are still needed to help with this year's performances. Picture supplied by Kempsey Eisteddfod Society The dates are announced for this year's Kempsey Eisteddfod but volunteers are still needed to help with this year's performances. Picture supplied by Kempsey Eisteddfod Society](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/179373098/5ccb4513-0031-46f6-bbff-6bd6224a3cfe.jpeg/r196_223_1848_1129_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The dates for the Kempsey Eisteddfod have been announced but volunteers are still needed to help make the event run as smoothly as possible.
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Recently elected Kempsey Eisteddfod Society (KES) Committee president Matthew Morrison said it was important for the eisteddfods to have volunteers.
"It's massive...just even getting kids in the right places so no one is missing times on stages, people at the door, all things like that.
The more people we have, the easier...things are."
Mr Morrison said more volunteers can also help to make the events better in lead up to the Kempsey Eistedfodd.
"More volunteers always means new, different idea as well.
You can get an idea of what people like, what they don't like, all of those things."
The past few years have been difficult for KES members.
In March 2020 KES came to the difficult decision to cancel the Eisteddfod with the plan to make the following year's event bigger and better.
Unfortunately after running the 2021 dance performances for just one day, the Eisteddfod was cancelled again to comply with COVID-19 regulations.
The Kempsey Eisteddfod was back and running in 2022 but the past two years of cancellation have had an impact.
Former KES president and current committee member Leane Harwood said that getting volunteers has now been an ongoing issue for quite sometime.
"We did a big push in 2021 and we got a few new committee members on board however last year they sort of dwindled off," she said.
"COVID-19 has probably played a role in the last couple of years because people weren't really coming back to the eisteddfods."
Last year's AGM was able to ensure executive roles were all filled but Ms Harwood said that they only had small amount of people attend the meeting.
"We're lacking some general committee members," she said.
"We only have two...and we usually have five or six.
I honestly didn't think that we would have a committee this year to get the Eisteddfod up off the ground and running so it was really great that Matt took on the role of president."
The society is hoping more people will sign up to come on board to help with the running of this year's events.
"As they say, many hands make light work and the more people that we can get, the less everybody has to do," Ms Harwood said.
"There's no commitment for people to actually do the whole week.
If they can do a day here or even just a session...or an hour, we will always find something that they can actually do."
Coordinators will be available to help allocate task and times that suite volunteers whether it's setting up and packing up or helping organise performers.
Leaping into 2023
![Kempsey Eisteddfod 2022 participants with adjudicator Jason Duff. Picture supplied by Kempsey Eisteddfod Society Kempsey Eisteddfod 2022 participants with adjudicator Jason Duff. Picture supplied by Kempsey Eisteddfod Society](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/179373098/5e5a058f-41e6-4380-bc59-a1ba59fa07e1.jpeg/r0_41_2048_1188_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Morrison knows the impact eisteddfods have for local kids.
As a child, he used to take part in the music and speech eisteddfods almost every year.
"I loved the eisteddfod as a kid.
There isn't a whole lot of..[artistic] opportunities in the area so I think just having those opportunities for the kids that like to do this or the kids that want to try this...is the biggest thing for me every year.
"That's sort of why I took on the [president] role."
This year will see some changes to the Eisteddfod events.
Dance will still be held at Melville High School but music, speech and drama will be held at the Kempsey Anglican Church Hall instead of the Uniting Church Community Centre.
Entries are expected to open soon but will close by 5pm on Friday May 5.
Those wanted to help volunteer this year can contact the committee by emailing kempseyeisteddfod@hotmail.com or through the Kempsey Eisteddfod society Facebook page.
2023 Kempsey Eisteddfod dates
Music, speech and drama- Sunday June 25 to Friday June 30
Dance- Saturday July 1 to Sunday July 9
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