The 2010 Carnival Queen was crowned on the Meadow during a day of fun. The mayor, Councillor Vince Bradbury, did the honours of placing the crown on the princess and queen.
The Queen danced around the Maypole with many visitors who came down to the Meadow on this mostly sunny, but coolish, May Day. Entertainment was led by Brian Shrubsall on his squeezebox, and then the Belly Dancers brought new rhythm to the day. A delicious BBQ served up lunch to the tired dancers.
Meanwhile, some budding scientists researched lichen to find out the air quality on the Meadow, and went digging for worms – both part of our OPAL science research project.
Afterwards, the Queen and many visitors headed down to the Gill Nethercott Centre for the launch of the official town website http://Whitchurch.org.uk
The Meadow is the place to be this May Day, Saturday 1st May 2010. Actually, Whitchurch is the place to be — there are several events happening all around town for you to enjoy.
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Further events follow around Whitchurch; you can stay and relax on the Meadow, or follow the newly crowned Queen to the Gill Nethercott Centre where at 3:30pm she cuts the ribbon to launch the centre’s new cinema system and unveils the new Whitchurch Town Community Website. A free matinee movie, ‘Up’, follows. Later in the evening there is another movie, ‘Nine’. Further details on this event at the Gill Nethercott Centre website.
The 2009 Carnival Queen and Princess are crowned next to the Meadow May Pole while the Mayor and Mayoress officiate.
Whitchurch’s 2009 Carnival Queen, Annabel Sankey, 12, and Princess Rhianna England, 11, were crowned last Saturday on the Meadow. A large crowd applauded their grand entrance – they made their way from the Fish Gates to a special stand near the May Day pole where last year’s Carnival Queen and Princess were on hand to do the honours.
Brian Shrubsall provided the May Day dancing music with his squeezebox.
Whitchurch Mayor Peter and Mayoress Pauline Williams welcomed everyone to the event and oversaw the official ceremony to crown the new Queen and Princess. And there was great rejoicing!
The newly crowned Queen kicks off the dancing around the May Pole!
Then it was time for some dancing around the May Pole. The Queen led the way with very fine footwork.
Later, the newly crowned princess in her lovely pink dress was spotted over at the mobile high-tech science lab hunting for creepy crawlies to look at under the microscope.
High-Tech Wild-Trek portable science lab visits the Meadow.
The Meadow was visited by the “Hi-Tech Wild-Trek” this past Saturday, 2 May 2009. Its a magic trailer full of equipment linked to microscopes and computers – a giant projection screen enlarges all the tiny creatures that are being examined.
Dr.Richard Osmond demonstrates how to best collect samples from the Meadow's stream.
The event was led by Dr. Richard Osmond, an ecologist and a great enthusiast of natural history and education.
The large screen display made monsters out of the mini-beasts caught in the Meadow’s two ponds, the stream and its old sluice.
Families examined what they had collected before taking the samples back to the lab.
The aim of the visit was to find as many different animals as possible and create a list to show the amazing biodiversity within the Meadow’s waters.
A very special May Day celebration will happen this year on Saturday, 2 May 2009.
Three activities are all rolled into one fantastic day out on the meadow.
From 10am to 4pm there will be a mobile science lab on the Meadow. Go and catch some thingies in the pond and bring them back to the lab, where you can have them magnified and displayed on a large screen. Who’s going to find the most weird creature?
In the middle of the day there will be dancing around the May Pole (dress up!).
And then there will the official crowning of the new Whitchurch Carnival Queen!
