Taunton gears up for carnival extravaganza

8:10pm Tuesday 14th October 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

THE 43rd Taunton Carnival hits the streets on Saturday, with the annual illuminated procession leaving Priory Bridge Road at 7pm to entertain thousands of spectators.

The Gloster Gladiators Scout Band will be followed by around 80 items, with the procession wending along Station Road, Bridge Street, North Street, Fore Street, East Street, East Reach, Chritchard Way, Priory Avenue and back to Priory Bridge Road car park.

Glittering floats and several walking entries will compete over 12 classes for trophies and points for the South Somerset Federation awards, as well as cash.

Feature, tableau and comic floats will be bedecked in thousands of light bulbs with themes such as Hallowe’en, Disney and Camberwick Green.

Walkers in fantastic costumes will depict giant puppeteers, masqueraders and showgirls.

Before the main event, the Harley Davidsons will parade around the route.

DURING THE DAY Carnival morning starts with cavalcades of historic vehicles and Harley Davidson through the town centre.

The vintage vehicles and motorbikes will be on view around the Market House, where there will also be a roundabout and a tombola stall.

A novelty game will see passers-by using their accountancy skills to compete in a large-scale sudoku, using a giant 45-box grid – people have to fill in 33 numbers against the clock.

Organiser Roger House said: “We have prizes for adults and under-16s, so come along and try your hand.”

Musical entertainment is from the local Dennie Blackmore Jazz Band, with performances at 11.30am and 12.30pm.

The Childrens’ Carnival will meet at Belvedere Road car park, where the Mayor, Miss Taunton and the Carnival Princess will judge the entries before the procession leaves at 2.30pm accompanied by Wellington Majorettes, making its way to Hammet Street.

ROAD CLOSURES Through traffic is directed away from the centre to keep it moving and to keep a clear access to Musgrove Park Hospital.

Diversions keep traffic moving around the outside – from the east along Bridgwater Road, Ilminster Road and Chestnut Drive; and from the west using Park Street, Cann Street, Mary Street, South Road and Chestnut Drive or Silk Mills Road, Greenway Road and Priorswood Road.

Roads in and around the town centre will be closed at 6.30pm and the route cleared of vehicles.

Vehicles will be unable to leave Belvedere Road or Albemarle Road during the procession.

Traffic from Wood Street can access Staplegrove Road via French Weir Recreation Ground.

SAFETY The Carnival Committee works with the emergency services to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Marshals around the two-mile route will look after the crowds and make sure the procession passes safely, supported by police, while six St John Ambulance crews will be on hand.

Fire engines and an ambulance follow the lead band in case of incidents.

All the organisations are linked by radio to a control room in Taunton Police Station.

CHARITIES “We want your money!” That‘s the call to spectators from the Carnival Committee.

All the effort put in by the entrants with floats and costumes needs rewarding.

Show your appreciation by dropping your change into the tins or onto the four collection floats.

“If everyone around the route gave just 50p, we’d raise many thousands for the three charities,” said treasurer Roz Swinburne.

“50p pieces would be nice, but really we don’t mind how it comes, or how long it takes us to count.

“This year we’re supporting Musgrove Hospital League of Friends, Headway (the National Head Injuries Association) and CLIC Sargent - they all do so much wonderful work and we’d like to do them proud.”

QUEEN & PRINCESS The procession will be headed by Miss Taunton, Lisa Treeby, the Carnival Queen, with Carnival Princess Jodie James.

They won their titles in competitions supported by the County Gazette. Alongside Jodie will be competition finalists Natasha Hunt and Candice Bade.

THANKS “It takes more than just the committee to stage the carnival,” said chairman John Lewis. “Planning for 2009 starts the day after this year’s procession.

“We have really good working relationships with the police, the borough council and county highways.

“Their support and goodwill mean we make it to the starting line.

“On Saturday there will be dozens of volunteers working hard to make sure it all goes off without a hitch.

“I’d like to thank them all for their efforts, and our business supporters round the town.”

Since restarting in 1966 the Carnival Committee has raised many tens of thousands of pounds for local charities.

Every year costs go up for things like traffic management and health and safety.

The organisers couldn’t put on such a show without help from the business community in the town.

Mr Lewis said: “Our aim is to give away at least what we collect on carnival day.

“We can’t do that unless all the expenses are already covered.

“That’s where our other events come in.

“The surplus we make on the Marathon and 10k go a long way to funding the procession.

“We’ve had sponsorship, in cash and in kind, from many local companies over the last 40 years for all our activities.

“Without them, none of this would happen.

“We just need two things on the night to make it all worthwhile – dry weather and a huge collection.”

For any other information on the day’s events, or if you would like to help in any way, contact the secretary, Iris Williams, on 01823-275241 (e-mail afi.williams@tesco.net) or John Lewis on 01823-283892 (e-mail jsilewis@btinternet.com) Look out for a video of Taunton Carnival on this website, along with photos and reports - and make sure of your copy of the Somerset County Gazette for a preview this Thursday and for reports and photos on Thursday next week.

FULL PROCESSION LIST

Entry number, class (where applicable), name of club, title of entry.

• 1, Gloster Gladiators Scout Band,

• 2, Emergency Appliance, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service

• 3, Emergency Appliance, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service

• 4, Emergency Appliance, South West Ambulance Service

• 5, Emergency Appliance, Avon & Somerset Police

• 6, Public Address, Ringwood Public Address

• 7, Collecting Lorry, North Petherton Carnival Committee

• 8, Miss Taunton & Carnival Princess,

• 9, Support Car, Taunton Audi

• 10, Support Car, Perry & Prowse

• 11, 1, Axminster YFC, Halloween

• 12, 10, Wheddon Cross CC, Far East

• 13, 11, Wookey Hole Caves Ltd, Santaland at Wookey Hole

• 14, 8, Extreme CC, Demons after Dark

• 15, 2, New Beginning, Camberwick Green

• 16, 13, NHS, Somerset NHS Stop Smoking Service

• 17, 4, Brimgrovers CC, Whatever the Weather

• 18, 7, Hannah & Kieran Wood, Oriental Autumn

• 19, 6b, Mathew Parker, Jewel of the East

• 20, 6a, Roger Muspratt Hamilton, Masquerade Ball

• 21, Miss Wellington,

• 22, 1, Sid Vale CC, Mickey's Express

• 23, Collecting Lorry, Denis Pearce

• 24, 8, St John Ambulance Cadet Division, St John Teeny Boppers

• 25, 9, Motiv8 Minis, Super Starz

• 26, 11, S P Davidrain Services, S P Davidrain Services

• 27, 3, One + One CC, Horsing Around

• 28, 12, Blackbrook Guides, Blackbrook Cats

• 29, 10, Staplegrove Scouts, The Theme of James Bond

• 30, 6a, Andy Tizzard, Carnival Misfit

• 31, 7, Dave & Lisa Arney, Strings Attached

• 32, 13, New Direction Twirlers,

• 33, 11, Bob Davies, Haygrass Nursery

• 34, 11, Bob Davies, Haygrass Nursery

• 35, 9, A & A CC, Pinball Express

• 36, Miss Ilminster,

• 37, 1, Harlequin CC, Festival of the Lion King

• 38, 6b, Hannah Jackson, Carnival Showtime

• 39, 6b, Marcus Jackson, Aztec Adventurer

• 40, 6b, Rachel Cox, Starlight Showgirl

• 41, 3, Poppe Inn CC, St Trinians

• 42, 13, Orchard FM, Orchard FM

• 43, 13, Orchard FM, Orchard FM

• 44, Dolphin Marching Band,

• 46, M & J Commercials, Recovery Vehicle

• 47, M & J Commercials, Recovery Vehicle

• 48, 1, Phoenix CC, Battleground

• 49, 3, Wiveliscombe YFC, Trick or Treat

• 50, 4, Tango Juvenile CC, Horror Express

• 51, Collecting Lorry, Taunton Explorer Scouts

• 52, 5, Motiv 8 CC, Super Dollies

• 53, 9, Zem CC, Pantomine

• 54, 8, Fantasy CC, Entertainers

• 55, 2, St Peters CC, Espana

• 56, 13, Merriott Silhouette Majorettes,

• 57, 11, Pink Gem Limos, Pink Gem Limos

• 58, 3, Nutsford Nutters, Hey Big Suspender

• 59, 9, Generations CC, Apollo 4

• 60, 6a, Judy Williams, Touch of Irish

• 61, 13, Taunton & Somerset Samaritans, Samaritan Van

• 62, 1, Domino CC, L'Amour

• 63, 11, Blakes Coaches, Blakes Coaches

• 64, 13, Trojan Twirlers,

• 65, Public Address, Denis Pearce

• 66, Collecting Lorry, Deane DLO

• 67, 5, Club 2000, On Thin Ice

• 68, 4, Rascals CC, Fright Night

• 69, 10, Albemarle Centre, Hocus Pocus

• 70, Miss Chard,

• 71, 5, George Brimacombe, Fairground Roundabout

• 72, 1, Eclipse CC, Medieval Legend

• 73, 11, Thornfalcon Motors, Thornfalcon Duo

• 74, 11, Thornfalcon Motors, Thornfalcon Duo

• 75, 13, Somerset County Gazette, Somerset County Gazette Van

• 99, M & J Autos, Recovery Vehicle

• 100, M & J Autos, Recovery Vehicle

  Classes - 1 – Feature, 2 - Tableau, 3 - Comic, 4 – Youth, 5 – Open, 6a – Single Walker, Adult, 6b – Single Walker, Juvenile, 7 – Pair Walking, 8 – Group Walking, 9 – Walking Wheeled, Non-motorised, 10 – Feature, Tableau or Comic under 50ft, 11 – Traders Display, 12 - Youth Walking, 13 – Supporters