Music, fun and dancing make a colourful parade
A PARADE getting back to its best . . . That was the verdict of spectators who lined the route as the Brighouse Charity Gala procession made its way to Wellholme Park.
Saturday’s warm weather encouraged crowds to turn out and wait in the streets to watch the parade pass by, while others watched from windows and stood on walls.
Procession chairman Bob Parker said about 900 people had taken part in the procession, including 10 walking groups.
“It was a lot better than last year,” said Mr Parker. “The procession ran from one end of Garden Road straight through to the other – and we still had some people waiting to join in on the playing fields. We were pleased that a lot more people came this year.”
The Deputy Mayor of Calderdale, Coun Nader Fekri and the Deputy Mayoress Helen Silvester, inspected the procession and said they were impressed by what they had seen. Councillor Fekri and his family walked down with the parade to the gala field.
Gala Queen Emily Booth, aged 18, and her attendants Jodie Deacon and Kim Young, headed the procession in style in two open-topped cars along with Halifax Charity Gala Queen Sophie Farrell.
There was a special appearance in the parade by baby James Pepper, whose mum Debs went into labour in Wellholme Park at last year’s gala. They travelled in an open-topped car with proud dad Stephen and sister Emily.
The crowds were entertained with music by the Red Rose Jazz Band, Huddersfield Brass, the 5th Halifax (Elland company) Boys’ Brigade Old Boys’ Band, the Pulse Roadshow and LBO Drum Tuition.
Youngsters from Lightcliffe Pre-School, who meet at Christ Church in Hipperholme, travelled to the field on a trailer decorated with a teddy bears’ picnic theme and pulled by a tractor.
There were groups walking in fancy dress including the Central Brighouse Scouts, and Calderdale Down’s Syndrome Group who were dressed as the Flintstones.
High-flying gymnasts from the Diamond Gymnastics Display Team gave displays along the route and the Brighouse Star Twirlers and Atomic Angels dance display team performed their routines.
Also taking part were The Gingerbread House Private Day Nursery in Southowram, Brighouse Methodist Youth Circuit, Cleckheaton Comics, Castlefields Pre-school in Rastrick, Little Learners Pre-school in Church Lane, Brighouse and Brighouse District Brownies.
The procession was led by representatives of Huddersfield Air Training Corps and Brighouse firefighters and one of the Arrow Coaches brought up the rear.
Brighouse businesses Direct Fireplaces and Hipperholme and Lightcliffe Childcare Ltd also added to the procession and cash was collected by representatives from the West Yorkshire Forget-Me-Not Trust along the route, which went from Garden Road along Lightcliffe Road to Waterloo Road down Halifax Road, through the town centre along Commercial Street and King Street and along to Bradford Road and Wellholme Park.
Winners: Schools and education section – 1, Lightcliffe Pre-school; 2, The Gingerbread House Private Day Nursery; Walking groups – 1, Calderdale Down’s Syndrome Group, Stuart Jowett and Glenn Fielden; 2, Cleckheaton Comics; Organisations - 1, LBO Drum Tuition. Special Trade Award – Arrow Coaches.
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Weather for Halifax
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
