A NEW-LOOK committee armed with ‘bucket-loads of enthusiasm’ is set to keep alive a historic Middlewich tradition.


The town’s rose fete, which this year was incorporated into celebrations for the Folk and Boat Festival (FAB), was previously organised by a three-strong team which included councillors Jean Eaton and Sonya Edwards and Sue Johns.

But falling numbers prompted the committee to announce its resignation and appeal for a new body to take its place, at a meeting on July 9.

An eager group of four Middlewich-based parents have now pledged to continue the town’s royal tradition, along with a little help from the former committee, who will act in an advisory role for the next 12 months.

Carole Moore, new committee member, explained that the new team included parents of former members of the Middlewich Rose Fete royal retinue.

“My step-daughter Sophie Pugh was last year’s rose bud and the difference it made to her and the confidence it gave her meant that she really, really flourished,” said Carole, who lives in Elm Road.

“It is a lovely thing to do and we don’t want to lose the heritage - it is a tradition.

“We want kids to look back and say ‘I was the Middlewich Rose Queen’ and raise their children to take part as well, for it to be a family tradition in Middlewich.

“We want it to be a whole-town thing, just like the FAB festival, and we want the town to get behind it.

“The rose fete is for the kids to look forward to and they can take part in it and know it’s for them.”

She added: “We have got bucket-loads of enthusiasm but what we don’t have is the former committee’s knowledge and experience.

“Joining our enthusiasm and their experience, we will hopefully be able to mobilise parents in Middlewich to get their children into it next year.”

Clr Eaton, whose daughter Catherine Kenney (nee Hoole) was rose queen in 1980, said: “There were enough people to take it on.


“They were full of enthusiasm and new ideas and they’ve gone away now to draw up their battle plan.”

She added: “I’m very happy that it’s going to go forward and I’m more than willing to help.”

The new committee will meet again in September.


For further information about next year’s fete, email carole_moore@me.com or call 07846756768.


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