IN a town famed for its eclectic events calendar, only one can stake a claim as the first of the year.

The New Year Treasure Hunt will celebrate 25 years in its current format on January 1, with teams racing around town to get their hands on the Charity Shield.

Already shrouded in mystery, the event takes another turn this year – dropping the tradition that last year’s winners should be this year’s organisers.

Instead, Mel Smith of 21st Century Technology and Camera Group is taking charge and freshening up the competition.

She said: “I want to get more people involved, but no one is able to say much about the history. We know that the shield is 25 years old, but we believe it started earlier than that.

“It says it’s in memory of Christina Wakefield and we haven’t found out who she is and why it is in her memory.

“It’s run for a charity each year, and the person in charge chooses. I have split it between two – St Luke’s Hospice and the St Michaels restoration fund.

In an event of “very few” concrete rules, the hunt will begin in the Boar’s Head at 1pm and end in the Big Lock at 3.30pm, where hot food will be served. Refreshment stops are built in along the way.

A running joke among competitors is aiming to finish second rather than first, so as to not be in charge the following year. However, Mel says she has worked away around this and expects teams to go gung-ho for victory.

There will be other surprises along the way, and Mel is hoping for another great turnout.

She said: “They will be having to go and collect clues and information. Last year it was a bumper year with about 40 teams.

“I enjoyed it very much. It gets people out, and gets families out. All ages can take part, and you can make up a large team or just come along as an individual.

“It would be great to get more businesses involved. They have been great and donated raffle prizes and things like that.”

For more information, follow the link below or find the group on Facebook by searching for ‘The Middlewich Charity Shield’. Alternatively, email the photography group at the21stctncg@gmail.com.

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/675402435967417/