The president of the Vasco Da Gama Club fears the Portuguese School they support could be severely affected by the loss of the Agricultural Exhibition.

Dennis Rodrigues said that a large portion of the funds needed to run the language school were generated through crafts and sales at the annual event.

Government will not be funding this year’s event as part of cost-cutting measures, although a private group is trying to organise a scaled-back version. It has not yet been confirmed whether this event will go ahead.

Government has also announced that public schools will be open on the Friday of the event — a day usually designated as a school holiday — which could impact attendance levels at the show.

Mr Rodrigues told The Royal Gazette: “The reality for us as a club is that we support and sponsor the Portuguese School under the Vasco Da Gama umbrella and we actually depend on the Ag Show in its original format to raise funds to support that school.

“That three-day event for us is a very big thing because every year we have a stall and sell traditional Portuguese foods — the biggest seller is the Portuguese doughnut.

“That generates thousands of dollars for us over that three-day period. This diluted Ag Show is going to impact the attendance level of the show, which will directly impact on our ability to raise funds.”

About 42 children of various ages are enrolled at the language school, which runs classes from Monday to Saturday.

For Vasco Da Gama, the three-day Ag Show generates more than $10,000. About $4,000 of that is made on the Friday. The funds go towards providing school materials and the salary of the teacher, who works here on contract from Portugal.

Mr Rodruigues said: “It will put pressure on the club’s executive to come up with some different fundraising activities. Our social calendar is already quite full because of other activities that we have at the club.

“We do get a part-subsidy from the Azorean government but it no where nears covers our costs for the year.

“If the show goes ahead we will still participate but our impression is it will be a much diluted show which will have a big impact.”