Archived News - Kings And Queens
St Mary's Village Carnival
The dust has settled – or maybe I should say that the scars left in the Green have almost healed – and we can say goodbye to Carnival 2012. It is a day that is fast fading into the memory, but one that was marked by some of the heaviest rainfall seen in the village for some time. Fortunately the downpour was short and sharp and the afternoon stayed clement – enough so that we were able to pack everything away dry and safe for another year.
I hope that some of you have seen the information on the Church Notice Board that the Organising Committee raised a remarkable £12,500 – only £500 less than 2011's record. I therefore need to say a huge 'Thank you' to everyone who helped in any way in advance of Carnival, on Carnival day and afterwards to achieve such a total and especially to the Organising Committee who work so hard to make St Mary's Village Carnival such a wonderful community event. Sadly the committee is saying goodbye to Bernie Hillman and Mark Saccoccio who have both given years of valued service. 'Thank you, both' and I'm sure you will both continue to make an important contribution in the future.
I also want to thank Edlesborough Cricket Club and Edlesborough Council (especially Kevin Cubbage) for their co-operation and patience in ensuring that damage caused to the Green by someone's spiteful behaviour was addressed and resolved very quickly and with a minimum of rancour.
The Carnival Committee has a well publicised formula for the distribution of funds from the Carnival:
- 50% to St Mary's Fabric Fund
- 25% to a principal charity – this year 'The Chemotherapy Unit at Luton & Dunstable Hospital'.
- 25% distributed among local (or locally connected) good causes, in line with commitments resulting from the Carnival or as requested by people in the villages.
A meeting took place on 10 September to propose a distribution and the proposal was ratified by St Mary's PCC the same week:
| St Mary's Fabric Fund | £6,250.00 |
| Chemotherapy Unit, L&D Hospital | £3,125.00 |
| 1st E Bray & Edlesborough Scout Group | £100.00 |
| Air Cadets (L Buzzard) | £25.00 |
| Cheeky Monkeys | £100.00 |
| Dagnall School | £125.00 |
| Dagnall Village hall | £100.00 |
| DILS Tower Breakfast and After School Club | £25.00 |
| Downs Heart Group | £100.00 |
| Dunstable Scouts | £100.00 |
| Eaton Bray Methodist Church | £75.00 |
| Eaton Bray Parish Council | £100.00 |
| Eaton Bray Village Hall | £100.00 |
| EB Academy | £125.00 |
| EB Cricket Club | £100.00 |
| EB Lions FC | £125.00 |
| EDaN | £100.00 |
| Edlesborough Cricket Club | £50.00 |
| Edlesborough Parish Council | £100.00 |
| Edlesborough School | £125.00 |
| Expedition - Alex Mustoe | £100.00 |
| Expedition - Charlotte Nilsen | £100.00 |
| Expedition - Hannah McCloskey | £100.00 |
| Expedition - Scott Mercer | £100.00 |
| Lionheart Explorer Group | £100.00 |
| Orbit | £100.00 |
| Police Charity Fund - Beds | £100.00 |
| Police Charity Fund - Thames Valley | £100.00 |
| St John's Ambulance | £325.00 |
| Taskers Row Social Club | £100.00 |
| The Friends Of The Church On The Hill | £100.00 |
| Toddington Band | £125.00 |
So now we turn to Carnival 2013, which will be my twelfth as Chairman of the Carnival Committee and 25th year as a Committee member and during which time just under £¼ million has been raised for local good causes. As you can imagine, with three signifi cant milestones for me I hope Carnival 2013 will be as splendid as ever. The theme will be 'SciFi' so, hopefully, there will be lots of scope for colour.
But Carnival does rely on YOU. Please, if you will feel you have a contribution to make to the success of our Carnival, get in touch with me. We need new Committee Members, people to help make the event run smoothly, offers of prizes, advertisers, offers of transport etc.; maybe you have no more use for a frame tent that you could lend or give to us. Carnival is an event for our community of which the community is rightly proud. Please contact me with your offers of help.
-- Gordon Gray – Chairman, St Mary's Village Carnival Committee
Macmillan Charity Balloon Race Carnival 2012
During the Carnival, Macmillan Cancer Support held a fundraisng Charity Balloon Race. After careful scrutiny the winner has been declared. We are very pleased to announce that Phoebe Dent, a young resident of Northall, had the winning balloon and has received her prize from Macmillan. The kind person who returned the label has also received a prize.
We would like to thank everyone who supported the charity at the carnival and at our other events. Your contributions go a long way to helping people living with cancer and their families and carers.
Source: Focus, October 2012
An Image of Community
So there I was, peacably walking along Eaton Bray High Street collecting from the watching crowds. It happened that I was just behind the Revelation Majorettes when the heavens opened. Now the majorettes comprised mums, teenage girls, youngsters, right down to girls as young, possibly, as 5 years old.
Within moments we were all soaked and, for a few moments in the torrential rain, panic set in. There was no obvious shelter but bystanders rushed in from the sides with umbrellas for the littlest girls or tried to hurry them under trees. It only took a short time for a commanding adult voice to say 'Get them in the car' and soon a dozen or so dripping little girls were in shelter.
The downpour poured down - some collecting buckets appeared to have over ½ inch of water in them so I guess we had about ½ inch of rain in about 20 minutes. But instead of feeling sorry for themselves the remaining troupe of majorettes set to with renewed vigour and carried on as if nothing was happening.
And when I got to Edlesborough Green it was just the same. the downpour was over everyone was out enjoying themselves carrying on as normal.
I thought to myself 'What an excellent image of what Community should be all about'. There are times when adversity comes upon us and for a while we really don't know what we should do or how we are going to cope. Our natural reaction is to care for the weakest, rather like a mother hen and just as the majorettes had done. And then we press on through the adversity and carry on, sometimes as normal, sometimes with renewed strength, just like the majorettes had done.
St Mary's Village Carnival exemplified that image of Community on Saturday. For a while it was really grim but a magnificent team pulled through, took sensible decisions and ensured that our Community had a wonderful afternoon and, once again raised lots of money for the organisations in and around our villages.
-- Gordon Gray, Chairman of the Carnival Committee
Carnival 2012 - "Kings and Queens"
The Carnival is now only a month away! If you want to be involved now is the time to do it.
The theme for Carnival 2012 is "Kings and Queens". We are not just talking Elizabeth, Edward, Victoria, George, Henry and Ethelred; there is Cleopatra, Martin Luther, Arthur… not to mention Freddie Mercury, Queen Bee, Sing-a-song of sixpence, 'hiking', 'checking' etc! Use your imagination for the theme; decorate your house on the Carnival route and join the procession in costume to make this a Carnival to remember in Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee year.
We hope 7 July will be a special day for this year's Royal party. The Queen, Princess and Attendants were selected on 15 April so no doubt, by now they will be very excited. We hope they all enjoy their special day. See the Carnival Queen page for photos.
Carnival Queen – Holly Watkin
Carnival Princess –Lily Walsh
Attendants – Heather Kerr & Bryony Sweeby
As usual there are plenty of new ideas and things to do at this year's Carnival including the introduction in Olympic year of Village Games. Do come along. There is free admission, free parking and free entertainment.
We hope this year's Carnival will be one to remember but we do need your help!
- Transport: Can you help with transport in any form; flatbed lorry, open truck or van or anything that could provide transport for the procession?
- URGENT - Can YOU provide any help to the carnival?
- Are you available to make the day a success by helping with moving equipment on the day and/or the evening before? The Carnival cannot operate without chairs, tables, tents and other equipment being delivered to and moved around the green and then removed at the end of the day. Can you lend a hand?
- Can you provide help on the day of the carnival at any of the many charity stalls, even for a few hours?
- Prizes, of any sort, for the various raffle and tombola stalls.
- Cakes for the Tea Tent and Cake Stall• Items for the silent auction.
- Local Groups: Do you run any group in the Villages that would like to operate a float this year? Perhaps you do not live in the village but operate your events here and would like to take part? All floats are welcome!
For any of the above please contact Gordon Gray.
My Lords and Ladies the time is coming; prepare yourselves for a "right Regal Carnival" in 2012.
Source: Focus, June 2012
Carnival 2012 - "Kings and Queens"
Still the time cometh for Carnival.
The theme for Carnival 2012 is "Kings and Queens". We are not just talking Elizabeth, Edward, Victoria, George, Henry and Ethelred; there is Cleopatra, Martin Luther … not to mention Freddie Mercury! Use your imagination for the theme; decorate your house on the Carnival route and join the procession in costume to make this a Carnival to remember in Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee year.
The 2012 Carnival will also include some superb Olympic-themed events for children from 2 to 92 in the main arena on The Green.
Organisation for the Carnival is underway so is there any way you can help to make this a year to remember?
- VERY IMPORTANT: Carnival Queen Dresses. Selection of the Carnival Queen and Princesses will take place in April. Dresses for the Queen and Princesses are very difficult to find this year. Can anyone help with any bridesmaid or similar "fancy" dresses that would be suitable for our stunning young ladies? All help or ideas would be greatly appreciated!
- Young ladies that wish to be a Carnival Queen or Princess make sure you see the advert in focus and around the villages.
- Local Groups: Do you run any group in the Villages that would like to operate a fl oat this year? Perhaps you do not live in the village but operate your events here and would like to take part? All floats are welcome!
- Transport: Can you help with transport in any form; flatbed lorry, open truck or van or anything that could provide transport for the procession?
- Advertising: Any business that would like to advertise in the Carnival program should have their requests in by mid-April. This is an event that draws thousands of people for the local area so don't miss out. Please contact Pauline Glen.
- Can you provide any help to the carnival?
- Prizes, of any sort, for the various raffle and tombola stalls.
- Items for the silent auction.
- Can YOU provide help on the day of the carnival at any of the many charity stalls, even for a few hours?
My Lords and Ladies the time is coming; prepare yourselves for a "right Regal Carnival" in 2012.
Carnival 2012 - "Kings and Queens"
The time for Carnival cometh once more.
The theme for Carnival 2012 is "Kings and Queens". We are not just talking Elizabeth, Edward, Victoria, George, Henry and Ethelred; there is Cleopatra, Martin Luther … not to mention Freddie Mercury! Use your imagination for the theme; decorate your house on the Carnival route and join the procession in costume to make this a Carnival to remember in Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee year.
The Carnival will also include some superb Olympic-themed events for children from 2 to 92 in the main arena on The Green.
Organisation for the Carnival is underway so is there any way you can help to make this a year to remember?
- VERY IMPORTANT: Selection of the Carnival Queen and Princesses will take place in April. Dresses for the Queen and Princesses are very difficult to find this year. Can anyone help with any bridesmaid or similar "fancy" dresses that would be suitable for our stunning young ladies? All help or ideas would be greatly appreciated!
- Local Groups: Do you run any group in the Villages that would like to operate a float this year? Perhaps you do not live in the village but operate your events here and would like to take part? All floats are welcome!
- Transport: Can you help with transport in any form; flatbed lorry, open truck or van or anything that could provide transport for the procession?
- Advertising: Any business that would like to advertise in the Carnival program should have their requests in by mid-April. This is an event that draws thousands of people for the local area so don't miss out.
- Can you provide any help to the carnival?
- Prizes, of any sort, for the various raffle and tombola stalls.
- Items for the silent auction.
- Can YOU provide help on the day of the carnival at any of the many charity stalls, even for a few hours?
Contact Gordon Gray via the St Mary's Village Carnival website
My Lords and Ladies the time is coming; prepare yourselves for a "right Regal Carnival" in 2012.