A COMMUNITY group defied the elements as it welcomed more than 2,000 visitors to its annual event on Saturday.
The eighth running of the Kenyans in Reading Family Fun Day, saw visitors flock to Ibis Health Club for a cultural celebration of the town’s diversity.
But the event almost didn’t happen, with the organising committee holding an emergency meeting two days before the event to discuss possibly postponing or even cancelling this year’s event due to inclement weather forecasts.
The fun day’s creator, Ken Gathere, explained: “For me, it wasn’t a case of whether to postpone the event or cancel it, it was about debating strategies of getting it done. We had people coming in from all over the world for the event.
“The atmosphere was electric, it’s funny how these things turn out. Had the weather been OK, we would have hit the parking limit.
“Overall, on a scale from one to 10, I’d give it a 9.5.”
There was something for the whole family, with youngsters getting involved with football, netball, dancing and drums – some were even awarded medals for their efforts.
The Kenyan spirit was on show all day and the event displayed the unity which exists in Reading.
Ibis Health Club was hosting the event for the first time, having previously been held at Winnersh Community Centre, and Mr Gathere was full of praise for the venue’s hospitality.
“We’d all like to thank Gareth, Josh and the team at Ibis Health Club,” he said. “They made us feel so welcome and have allowed us to host the event there next year.”
