Strictly Showtime

What a fantastic day Carnival day was!


The procession floats were awesome and must have taken hours and hours of work. There were 27 in all and at one point the procession was over a half-mile long. The bands and music and dancing brought a great buzzy air of community togetherness to the streets of Crowthorne with young, old, very old and disabled people lining the streets to cheer and wave. The procession really gets the day off to a cracking start. But even before the procession begins the local traders festooned the procession route with 900 red, white and blue balloons – a fabulous display which gave a great air of expectation.

Carnival Programme 2014.pdf

Procession

The Carnival floats and entries were judged by a team of the influential people of Bracknell Forest and Wokingham comprising:

        • Dr Phillip Lee MP

        • Cllr Alan Kendall Mayor BFC with Mr Andrew Whitehouse

        • Cllr UllaKarin Clark Mayor WBC

        • Cllr Bob Wade Chairman CPC

        • Cllr Gerry Brown, Vice Chair WWPC

        • Vincent Paliczka Director BFC

        • Cllr J Finnie Carnival President

        • Mr John McNab Edgbarrow School Governor

        • Mrs Yvonne Hattersley

        • Mr Tony Lee

        • Miss Sue Hester Crowthorne Good Neighbours

        • Cllr Clifton Thompson BFBC

        • PC Steven Botwright

They had the hardest job of the day to which was to pick out the best float in each of the five categories. They were all so very good that the judges were wishing to make them all winners. The winners in each category were:

    • Schools: Hatch Ride

    • Pre-schools: Flying Start Nursery

    • Youth Groups: 1st & 2nd Crowthorne Scouts

    • Community Groups: COATS

    • Trade/commercial: Sarai Hair and Beauty

    • The overall winner was Hatch Ride. And a very well done to their interpretation of The ‘eco’ Lion King.

During the procession we had the best street collection ever which collected a massive £2,220 (10% more than in 2012) and with a bit of luck on our costs we hope to be able to distribute a lot of this to local clubs and charities that have applied.

At the end of the procession was the Carnival Fete on the Morgan recreation Ground with over 94 pitches with a huge variety of types of stalls to cater for all interests. As well as the fun fair there was the high rope walk way, activities for teenagers including a dunking pond and graffiti art, the Arts Pavilion for the younger children, the Raven Haven with tame wild birds, chess and football, golf and tombola, motor bikes and Buckler cars display, and many stalls presenting aspects of the village and community. WE also had many food and drink outlets from burgers to cakes, and of course a beer tent.

In the evening of the Carnival there was a live music gig at the parish hall with Threeofortenpounds doing the honours.

We had an absolutely jam-packed week of events, with something for everyone:

    • Monday 7th July – Schools Music Festival, Wellington College chapel

    • Wed 9th July – Line Dancing, Royal British Legion

    • Thursday 10th July – Pool Competition, Crowthorne Inn

    • Friday 11th July – Derby & Joan Tea Party, Woodmancote day centre

    • Carnival Quiz Night, Morgan Centre

    • Crib Challenge, Royal British Legion

    • Treasure Hunt, Royal British Legion

    • Saturday 12th July – Carnival Treasure Hunt, Wellington College grounds

    • Dance night ‘Strictly Crowthorne, Strictly Fun’, Edgbarrow School

    • Crowthorne Symphony Orchestra, The Old Gym Wellington College

    • Flower Festival, St John’s Parish Church

    • Sunday 13th July – Flower Festival, St John’s Parish Church

    • Songs of Praise, St John’s Parish Church

    • Darts Competition, Royal British Legion

    • Monday 14th July – Flower Festival, St John’s Parish Church

The Carnival Committee put a great deal of effort and months of work into organising some special events for the local (and wider) community to enjoy and many of you came to enjoy them.

A huge thanks to Bewitched and Whimsical and, for the dance, also to Playhouse Cleaners for selling tickets for us.

Competitions

There were lots of entries to the competition and the standard was very high. The judges had real difficulty in choosing their favourites. But choose they did.

Front Garden Competition

    • First Joan Woodage

    • Second Barbara Bowyer

    • Third Methodist Church

Window boxes

    • First Joan Woodage

    • Second Carol Zuccaro

    • Third Carlyle Court

Hanging Basket

    • Carlyle Court

Shop Window Competition

    • First: Whimsical

    • Second COATS

    • Third Newmans

    • Commended Dopsons Butchers

Photographic competition

    • First: Lisa Paine

    • Runner-up: Joan Newland

Carnival Princess

    • Carnival Princess was Eve Taylor aged 9 of Oaklands Junior School.

    • Carnival Princess Attendants were Amy Croll aged 10 of Wildmoor Heath Primary and Lucy Price age 8 Crowthorne C of E.

Click here to see all those who entered

Our 2014 Carnival Committee

      • James G Finnie President

      • Ken Newland Chairman

      • Maggie Wade Secretary

      • Linda Kilvert Treasurer

      • Roger Fox Procession / Carnival Plan

      • Sarah Whelan Fete

      • Caroline Rozycki Fete

      • Joan Newland Judges / hospitality / Carnival Dance

      • Sue Thompson Judges / hospitality / Carnival Dance

      • Cathy Valentine Entertainments

      • Ellen Tims Programme / Advertising

      • Patricia Walmsley Princess / Publicity

      • Sheila Tims Affiliated Events / Advertising

      • Helen Ricketts Shop Window

      • Gail Robertson Front Garden

    • Plus unstinting support from:

      • Mark Tims – Website / Social Media / Databases

      • Neil Tims – Programme

      • Barbel Fox – Procession

      • Russell Goodburn – Carnival Day