Carnival 2003 - Circus
A Personal Reflection
People ask me if I pray for a sunny Carnival day. Well no, I don’t. My ideal weather for Carnival would be calm, cool and overcast and if the interest generated by the Wimbledon ladies tennis final is ordinary then so much the better. So you can imagine that I was delighted with what God provided for us on 5 July this year – calm, cool, overcast and a rematch of Williams v Williams.
Perfect circumstances and I hope that most of you will all feel it was a perfect result. The Green was crowded, stalls seemed to being doing good business and the atmosphere was one of convivial good-humour. As a result the Carnival Committee is delighted to be able to donate £10,700 to local good causes (see 'Who will benefit?') – a sum that is 20% more than the previous record.
Thanks must go to everyone who participated in any way to make the day a success.
- The Parish Councils, Police and St Johns Ambulance.
- Everyone who dressed their house or helped make costumes for the children on the procession floats and to all those local organisations who had floats or stalls.
- Everyone to helped prepare the field, shift tables etc especially those stalwarts who were there at the end of the day.
- To everyone who participated in any way or came along and spent their money.
- Special thanks to business and individuals who support the Carnival through advertising, donation of goods, services or money. If your business would like to help us out next year please get in touch with me.
Most importantly, thanks must go to all the members of the Committee who give up so much time, energy and money to make our Carnival such a success: Chris Banks, Peter Bennett, Kevin Eagling, Theo Gray, Vivienne Grundy, Maggie Kerr, Ann Lee, David Marriage, Mark Saccoccio, Rebecca Shaw, Peter Thomas, Alison Tigg, Robert Tigg and Alison Walley. The latter two are leaving the Committee after years (many in Robert’s case) of excellent service. They will be missed, so if you feel that you have something to contribute to the Committee then please get in touch with me. Most important, if you see any of these people in the street do stop them, thank them, and tell them what a fine job they do for our community.
The year saw the introduction of the Worm Charming competition. Our winner, Stacey Loczy, has received an invitation to participate in the 25th running of the World Worm Charming Championship next year, though I suspect that she will have to charm more than two worms to be in with a chance of winning. I am determined to beat all-comers next year so I do hope some of you will spend the winter perfecting patent worm charming devices ready for next year’s Carnival. That will take place, as usual, on Edlesborough Green on the first Saturday in July, 3rd July, when the theme will be ‘Fantasy’. (Perhaps Mrs Bradbury will be able to wear the same costume as this year!)
2003 was my seventh year as Chairman of the Carnival Committee and I have decided to enjoy a period of ‘retirement’ for a while to enable me to balance the demands of work, family and church. I will, however, remain on the Carnival Committee and expect to be looking after the Procession next year. It is an enormous strength of this community and, indeed of the Carnival Committee, that a replacement Chairman, Peter Bennett, has stepped forward to manage the event in 2004. Thank you, Peter. I am sure he will get the same level of support and commitment that has been evident during my period of Chairmanship.
St Mary’s Village Carnival Committee
Gordon Gray
