Marple Carnival Committee now has its own web site sponsored by
The Marple Website to celebrate 50 Years of Marple Carnivals

www.marplecarnival.org.uk

Marple Carnival Chairman John Wright says "Thank You Marple!"

“THANK YOU MARPLE” That was the overwhelming message that came across with the applause from the local charity representatives and guests that packed the Marple Cricket Club on Friday 21st October 2011. The occasion! The annual cheque presentation night by the Marple Carnival Charities Committee.

Chairman John Wright welcomed everybody and informed the audience that thanks to the generosity of the Marple people and the hard work put in by the Committee, given freely and in their own time the magnificent amount of £4,500.00 would be presented to the local charities during the evening.

Karen Bluff (treasurer) explained that the recipient of the special award of £1000.00 this year was The Kinder Mountain Rescue who celebrate their 40th anniversary . Karen further added that should any local charity wish to be considered for the special award next year please submit a letter telling the committee why they wish to be considered no later than 1st April 2012.

The evening was a resounding success with a Quiz (hosted by Brian Nolan) and a Tombola. Cheques were presented by the “Marple Royalty“ - Melissa, Harriet, Cloe and Lilly-May. The evening was rounded of with dancing to the vibrant sounds of professional singer Janice Lacey.

Mark your diary for next year's Carnival SATURDAY 16TH JUNE.

THE THEME IS “GREAT BRITAIN”

John Wright, Chairman: 0161 427 8934

Since it was first held in 1962 the modern Marple Carnival has been a major event in the local calendar. Marple Carnival Committee work hard each year to make the Carnival a great success and with a new influx of volunteers working under Chairman John Wright, the future looks bright for 2012 - the 50th anniversary since its revival!

Each year the committee choose a theme for the fancy dress parade and in 2012, tying in with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, it is 'GREAT BRITAIN!' That should give plenty of scope for the floats and fancy dress and will create a fun filled atmosphere on the day whatever the weather!

Here's the trailer for the 2011 Carnival, which will be updated when the 2012 programme is available:

Morley's Fun Fair, which has been linked with the Carnival for more than forty years, will once again return to provide entertainment in Brabyns Park over the Carnival weekend. There will be something for all the family - so do go along and have a good time.

For early risers looking for bargains, the Carnival Programme starts in Memorial Park at 8.00 am with an enormous boot sale. The Park will be the main focus for most of the day, with a good selection of stalls, side shows and fairground rides. If you're interested in booking a stall for your own organisation then ring Chris Armitt on 0161 427 7284 (evenings).

Lots more attractions are lined up during the afternoon, a veritable feast of midsummer fun for the whole family! Young and old will be spellbound by the birds of prey of SMJ Falconry, from Oxenhope near the Bronte village of Haworth, West Yorkshire. As well as learning more about the ancient craft of falconry, you can gain first hand experience of handling and flying birds of prey, which can include hawks, falcons, kestrels and owls. 

Also not to be missed ... two expert wood carvers, demonstrating timeless skills of a different kind. Magician Barrington Powell can expect a warm welcome following his star turn at Marple Christmas Cracker. A fellow of infinite jest, his impressive CV includes shows in Las Vegas, as a guest at 10 Downing Street and for the Duke of Edinburgh.

The vibrant rhythms of the Brinnington Samba Band will bring us sunshine - musically speaking. The community group of drummers and dancers gives people from all walks of life the chance to pick up an instrument and have a go at something exciting and fun.

No Carnival day would be complete without the Billerettes, the pom-pom waving male dance troupe from Buxton. Resplendent in their eye-catching bright orange outfits, they are greeted with cheers and applause wherever they go. Not only is this their 36th year, they are within sight of a remarkable milestone: their 1,000th performance. Troupe leader - and founder - Bill Weston has been busy working on a celebratory book Men In Skirts: The Story of the Billerettes. More information online at www.billerettes.org.uk

Black Diamond will be taking care of announcing duties and keeping the music flowing. Cheerleading displays and a tug-o-war are among the many other activities, which will once again ensure that there is a never a dull moment during Carnival day...

Another favorite attraction is the Fun Dog Show hosted by Manchester and Cheshire Dogs' Home. This is great fun for all the family and the money raised on the day will help to support the care of approximately 7,000 dogs taken in each year by the home, which is a registered charity. Classes included Best Pedigree, Best Crossbreed, Prettiest Bitch, Most Handsome Male, Sweetest OAP, Cutest Puppy and Dog Most like Owner! - so something for every dog! Registration will be open from 11am to 1pm with a fee of £1 per class per dog. For more information about Manchester and Cheshire Dogs' Home visit www.dogshome.net

The Carnival Grand Parade will kick off at 2.00pm, following the normal route. As usual the parade will feature a large cross-section of our local community, schools and organisations. Anyone wishing to take part should contact Parade Officer, Dave Bluff, on 0161 449 8167 (evenings).

After the parade one of the main events in the show ring will be the crowning of the 2011 Carnival Queen Melissa Hogan-Knott, who is 15 years old. Melissa first dreamed of being crowned Carnival Queen when she was at primary school - but was unsure whether she would be confident enough to take on the role, if it was offered to her. Thankfully, any self-doubts have disappeared since joining Marple Hall High School, where she has taken part in a range of extra-curricular activities such as the pop choir, drama club, netball, talent shows and charity events. Melissa recently took on a major role in the school's production of The Wiz - she played the Lion. Her hard work and dedication paid off, with the encouragement of family and friends and some great reviews from local newspapers helping to boost her self-confidence even further. She feels "truly honoured" to be Marple's 2011 Carnival Queen. "I have grown up in Marple and lived here all my life. I went to All Saints Primary School and took part in every carnival and thoroughly enjoyed them! Melissa's chosen charity for the year is New Horizons "because it's local and runs through the canal I live near and also helps give disabled people in the community an experience to remember."

Melissa will be joined by a large entourage this year that includes Junior Carnival Queen Lara Norbury, Carnival Princesses Phoebe Potts, Harriet Kayes, Sofia Hankey and Zoe Toke and Carnival Petals Lily-ann Ditcher, Charlotte Quinn and Chloe Kayes. On the big day the girls will be dressed in their special Carnival gowns and will be crowned with hand-crafted tiaras provided by Tinkerbelltiaras.com.

Junior Carnival Queen Lara Norbury	Carnival Princess Phoebe Potts	Carnival Princess Harriet Kayes	Carnival Princess Sofia Hankey
Carnival Princess Zoe Toke	Carnival Petal Lily-ann Ditcher	Carnival Petal Charotte Quinn	Carnival Petal Chloe Kayes

Good wishes are sent to Marple's new "Royals" by last year's retiring Queen, Victoria Penney, retiring Princess Melissa Jarvis and retiring Rosebud Alissa Sharp. They all enjoyed their reign in 2010/11 whilst raising money for a variety of local charities. If you are interested in becoming a future Carnival Queen, Princess or Petal and having as much fun as Victoria, Melissa and Alissa did last year, then get in touch with the Carnival Committee, who are now seeking 'Royals' for the 2012 Carnival.

New Horizons, the canal boat for the disabled, will again be moored at Possett Bridge next to the park. New Horizons, the specially equipped boat commissioned in 1981 by Prince Charles, is manned by a full-time skipper and volunteer crew, who will welcome visitors aboard to show them around on Carnival Day. You can support New Horizons and The Stockport Canal Boat Trust by joining in their appeal to help 'Float their Boat'. For more information about New Horizons, visit their web site run by former Skipper, Bill Beard.

For a pictorial record of Marple's Carnivals going back several years, take a look at the Carnival Photo Archive. If you manage to take any great photos of the day this year that you would like to submit to the archive, just get in touch by using the contacts page.

Many people think the Carnival takes place overnight but this is far from the truth. Planning and fund raising is an all-year-round task. The Carnival Car Boot Sales, held at Rose Hill Station Car Park on the last Sunday of each month between March and October, make a major contribution to these funds. The dates and times of the Boot Sales are detailed in the Community Events section of the Notice Board. A stall costs only £8 (£9 on Carnival Day).

It costs a surprising amount of money to put on a celebration like this and in addition to their other fund-raising activities the Carnival Committee run a scheme where any firm, organisation or individual wishing to make a donation of £5 or more can be listed as a Vice-President in the Carnival Programme. If you would like to make a donation and get your name in next year's programme, get in touch with Carnival Committee Chairman John Wright on 0161 427 8934