EIGHT festivals have been held in one town in the last four years in a bid to give it a boost.

Members of the Burslem Arts and Crafts Festival Group have given up countless hours of their time in an attempt to attract people to the Mother Town.

The group has a core membership of about 15 people, but can call on the support of about 80 more to get the twice annual events going with a swing.

Hundreds, even thousands, of people visit the town for the free family fun days, which have stalls, workshops and activities for children.

And it is the hard work and dedication of the street party's organising members which has won a nomination in the Community Group of the Year category of The Sentinel's 2009 Our Heroes awards.

Health project manager Clare-Marie White, aged 28, who lives close to Scotia Road and is one of the volunteers, said: "It has really grown in the last few years. I would say the last three or four years we have had several hundred people come but when it is a hot day a few thousand can come and the town attracts visitors from different areas.

"There is not a lot which is high profile in Burslem, so it is getting people back who have not been for a while."

The group was started by residents, businesspeople and artists with the intention of responding to Burslem's decline as a shopping town.

Although it has had limited funding from several sources, which has paid for materials and advertising, the hard work is done by volunteers who give up hundreds of hours of their own time.

One of those volunteers is Carolyn Powell, who works in the town as a business coach for BizFizz, a project to help budding entrepreneurs set up in business.

She said: "Everybody knows how Burslem looks at the moment but the reality is that there is a thriving community and a lot of people who live in the town get involved.

"The wonderful thing about the festival is that it encourages people to come out and take part in something which is fun and a real community event."

The festival focuses round Queen Street and the Burslem School of Arts and typically has performances by dancers, artwork, live music, craft displays and food.

Mrs Powell added: "It demonstrates just how many people there are involved as soon as something is happening.

"And it is evidence that Burslem is a long way off being quiet and showing no signs of activity. When the festival is held it is fantastic."