Massive hiring fees may force the committee of the Wollongong BlueScope WIN Eisteddfod to consider alternative venues in the future, chairperson Tony Purdon, who is battling kidney cancer said.
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Mr Purdon said the committee, which two years ago had been struggling to pay its bills, had been forced to move its vocal section to the Wesley Church Hall at a saving of $25,000.
He said the hire of two venues, the IPAC and the Wollongong Town Hall, set the organisation back almost $60,000 this year alone.
‘‘I don’t know how long we can continue to pay these fees,’’ Mr Purdon said. ‘‘We used to have a lot more sessions in these venues but the cost has become prohibitive. We’ve already had to find alternatives and that’s saved us tens of thousands of dollars. We’re now at the point of having to examine our options in the coming years.’’
An added burden he said was a requirement of the Wollongong Town Hall for the hirer to pay for staff.
‘‘That alone is a huge cost to us,’’ Mr Purdon said. ‘‘Obviously we prefer to have our own volunteers work during the sessions because it’s cheaper.’’
The Wollongong Eisteddfod committee, is a not-for-profit organisation, that aims only to break even each year.
The Town Hall is used for large drama, choir and band ensemble sections.
About five years ago the choir section was so popular that it ran all day, now it runs for just a few hours on one morning.
‘‘We made a loss on that morning,’’ Mr Purdon said. ‘‘The committee is now at the stage of considering the future of the choir section. Catholic schools are almost the only competitors.’’
Mr Purdon discovered he had cancer three days into the 2015 Eisteddfod.
In hospital for surgery to his spine, a radiographer examining his X-rays, discovered a seven cm cancerous tumour on his left kidney.
Nine days later Mr Purdon was back volunteering at the Eisteddfod. He has since had the kidney removed.
‘‘I really enjoy volunteering,’’ he said. ‘‘I’ve always been interested in the performing arts.’’
Mr Purdon studied tap, ballet and highland dancing as a child and began competing in eisteddfods as a five year old in 1960.
He began volunteering at the Wollongong in 2008 and joined the committee in 2010, whilst still working as a civil engineering consultant.
