A NEW volunteer co-ordinator is encouraging people to sign up to help at the 2010 Royston Arts Festival.

Lesley Glover has been appointed to the role by the festival committee, and will oversee the recruitment of people to man this year’s festival, which runs from September 23-26.

She said: “I hope to encourage people to join us in creating an exciting and successful event.

“The festival committee is small and we really appreciate help in staffing events, making sure equipment is in the right place at the right time, ensuring the safety of the public, and a range of other things.”

A Royston resident since 1989, Lesley began her own volunteering with a toddler group, and progressed to Tannery Drift PTA and The Friends of Meridian School committee.

For many years she was on the fundraising committee for Cancer Research.

More recently she has been a Timebank volunteer, a dog walker, and a driver for the Royston Community Transport scheme.

For 11 years she was the voluntary services manager at Garden House Hospice in Letchworth.

If you can spare a small amount of time during the festival weekend, contact Lesley by email at volunteers@roystonartsfestival.org or phone her on 01763 249240.

Royston Arts Festival has been accepted as a member of the British Arts Festivals Association, a group that includes the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh International Festival.

A spokesperson for the festival said: “This is a real boost that will raise the festival’s credibility and profile”.