THE founder of Christchurch Food Festival says there is “every intention” of continuing the event after next year, despite several of its directors planning to step down.

The festival, which is one of the biggest annual events in the town’s calendar, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary next year.

Many of the details of the event on May 11 and 12 are yet to be confirmed, but festival founder and president Mary Reader said organisers were planning a “big splash”.

“Several of us are talking of retiring, but no formal decisions have been made,” she said.

“We have every intention of continuing with the festival but under a slightly different management team.

“Some of us are at retirement age and have other business commitments. We’ve all worked so hard on the festival for the last 20 years, and we’re now working hard to review who will take over.

“We’ll be making a formal decision in the New Year.”

Mary, who also organises the popular Highcliffe Food Festival, was able to confirm that festival favourite and ambassador Lesley Waters would be returning next year.

Fun Kitchen will be delivering cookery workshops for children, and there will also be a learning zone hosted by nutrition students and staff from Bournemouth University.

This year’s event saw the return of the popular market in and around the High Street, as well as a pop-up seafood restaurant in Saxon Square. A festival village was set up at Christchurch Quay with a kids’ kitchen, demonstration marquee, and Dorset Inflatable Pub’s beer festival.

Local chefs who showcased their culinary skills included Simon Hallam, Colin Nash, Alex Aitken, Luke Matthews, Andrew Gault, James Golding, Paul Putt and Matt Budden.

Christchurch Food Festival is organised by a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, with most of the work done by volunteers.

Mary said next year would be a “transitional year” for the event.

“Generally, we really want to make a really big thing of the festival next year as it will be the last year many of us will be involved.

“It will be a transition year when fresh ideas will be coming in. We want to continue the festival after the enormous success it’s been, and I think it will continue in one form or another. We need more people to help out as there are lots of changes going on.”