A festival which brings thousands of women together in Oxford each year, but which looked set to fold, has been given a lifeline.

The future of the Oxford International Women's Festival looked in doubt after the city council turned down its £1,875 funding request.

But after a major fundraising campaign, and support from the Big Lottery Fund, Oxon Community Grassroots Grants, Oxfam and private donors, organisers have now started planning next year's event — which will be the 20th.

Festival chairman Debbie Hollingsworth said: "We were devastated when our city council grant was refused and wondered if this would be the end of the line for this established and highly successful festival.

"Not to be defeated, we set to work with a real burst of energy and formed a dynamic fundraising committee.

"The result is fantastic. In a few months, we have raised enough funds to pay for it."

Founder and treasurer Anne Mobbs added: "We finished the year with £2.56 in the bank, which is a bit desperate to say the least, then the council pulled our funding.

"When we did the appeal, we sent out material to local women and grant funders and basically they all said 'yes', which was amazing.

"So many women have attended the festival in the past 20 years and subsequently gone on to succeed in the art world as fashion designers, film-makers, writers and more. We have lots to be proud of."

The Big Lottery Fund has given the festival £9,700, the Oxon Community Grassroots Grants £3,500 and Oxfam £2,000. More than £1,500 was donated by festival supporters.

Thanks to the success of the fundraising campaign, the festival, which will take place from February 28 to March 15, looks set to be the biggest ever, with 35 events.

An estimated 10,000 women are expected to attend at least one of the different events, which include everything from exhibitions, dances, music and art to food.

Co-ordinator Chris Eady said: "Our festival theme for March 2009 is pioneering and inspiring women, and we aim to make this 20th anniversary Women's Festival a truly memorable occasion."

It will be launched with a Caribbean feast in Blackbird Leys, and events are planned across the city, in Cutteslowe, Barton, East and West Oxford.

There will also be a special exhibition organised by Gay Pride, in the Jam Factory, off Frideswide Square.

Other county recipients in the latest round of Big Lottery Funding included Oxford Inspires in Cherwell, which received £10,000 for a programme of arts events in the north of the county, and the Oxford Bangladeshi Boat Club, backed by Oxford restaurateur Aziz-Ur Rahman, which was awarded £10,000 to help with its start-up costs.