The organisers of Wellington Carnival tonight – Saturday – should feel proud of providing the whole community with a genuinely impressive event.
With streets filled with families and groups of friends along the whole route on a mild, dry evening all that was needed was an impressive parade – and that is exactly what the crowds were given.
The evening began with Wellington School Corps of Drums marching along the route from Rockwell Green with Wellington Town Crier, Andrew Norris, signalling that there was much more to follow.
Big carnival groups with huge trucks that are the result of untold hours of effort and commitment, individuals and smaller teams illustrating impressive skill and imagination and all kinds of organisations – including Majorettes, Beech Grove School, Wellington Wildcats, Genesis Theatre Group, Somerset Youth Theatre and Wellington Folk and Custom Society bringing back rituals of long ago – all provided colour to the parade. No fewer than 59 entries were listed to appear in the procession.
The organisation – Marshalls, collectors wearing specially made ‘Give Us A £1’ tops provided by Work Wear Online, police and mascots specially designed to entertain the youngest spectators – was impressive and all those involved in planning and running this event should be thanked for not only keeping the event alive but adding to it. And tribute too should go to the main sponsor, Ellisons Commercial Training whose support – and that of other sponsors and Wellington Town Council – has kept the event not just alive but made it thrive.
