The Grampound Times
Summer 2006 (Edition 42 - Carnival Edition)
Our community in Cornwall
Carnival Week 2006
As I write this, the sun is shining, it’s 25 degrees and the birds are singing. England are on their way home from the World Cup and it’s time to start thinking about Carnival Week to cheer us all up. Of course, your Carnival Committee has been thinking about this ever since the last Carnival and plans are well advanced for another cracking day. The provisional (and I stress provisional; please read our fliers and posters nearer the date to confirm) timetable for Carnival Week is as follows.
Tuesday 29 th August;
‘It’s a Family Knockout’ at 6 p.m. followed by Rounders.
Knockout to be as previously, more or less, but Rounders is back by popular demand. Rounders teams to be those who have signed up at the Post Office (to give us an idea of numbers/organisation etc). Exact rules to be confirmed; Umpire’s decisions will be final! Start organising mixed teams of Adults/children (why not the same as your Knockout team?) Fancy Dress optional but would be a giggle. This will probably be on the Recreation Ground this year but watch this space.
Wednesday 30 th August:
Either the ever popular Pig Race again in the Dolphin from 9 p.m. (to be confirmed with our new hosts) or perhaps a Horse race night once more. Keep the evening free in any case. Both events have been huge successes in the past and promise lots of fun.
Friday 1 st September:
Carnival Quiz in the New Hall at 7.30 p.m.
Saturday 2 nd September:
Carnival Day! Official opening at 2.pm. by Radio Cornwall’s own Janette Eathorne,
Stalls and refreshments all day, field layout largely as 2005, procession at 6.p.m. sharp. The powers that be (Council, Police etc) were very impressed with our timekeeping last year so if you’re preparing a float, please follow the marshal’s instructions and keep things rolling smoothly again. I sometimes think that the Forces of Darkness would like nothing better than see an end to all Carnivals and village traditions so let’s not give them any excuses! Evening entertainment by the Horseband again, plus a Hog Roast and Cornish Real Ale tent. And, yes, a Fish & Chip van once again! I for one can’t wait! Should be a wonderful advertisement for what our community is all about.
Carnival Royalty for 2006
Grampound Carnival Queen; Jade Still
Queen’s Attendants; Tannis Stephen & Ciara Langton
Fairy Queen; Beth Ward
And finally, on a slightly more serious note, I want to sound a warning bell as to the future of Grampound Carnival. We all enjoy Carnival and the events throughout the year that are put on to fund it and give us some fun too. But it all relies on willing volunteers and that is where the problem lies. You see, when all is going well, everyone thinks, ‘no problem there, what a good Committee we have, no need for me to worry’. Human nature I guess; I’d be the same. But the present Committee has lost several key players who just can’t spare the time any more. Regular Carnival followers will know that we said goodbye and thanks to Ronnie McLaskey our outgoing Secretary last year and despite public appeals through these pages and elsewhere we couldn’t find anyone prepared to take her place. Thus, we have been operating without a Carnival secretary in 2006. This has put extra load on the Committee and when you factor in work commitments, holidays, babysitting and family requirements, it has meant that at times we have held meetings with as few as 4 members. There are enough old
Carnival hands in Grampound who will fully appreciate what this has meant in terms of extra responsibilities for ‘the few’! I made it clear in January that this would be my final Carnival as Chairman, although not as a Committee member, and I am very concerned that Carnival 2007 is going to need a lot more involvement from a lot more new faces if we are to keep up our very high reputation. So please enjoy this year’s Carnival, eat drink and be very merry (!) but give some serious thought to doing your bit to help for 2007, preferably on the Committee. And what does that mean exactly you ask? Simply this; that you can join us at the end of a great day, lean back with a pint in your hand and say “Wow! That was worth the effort. What a great day!” And the feeling of satisfaction and fulfilment you get isn’t something you can buy anywhere, believe me! See you on Carnival Day.
Bill Collins
© 2006 Grampound with Creed Parish Council