SEEING the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish ride through Pershore in the Tour of Britain has inspired the town’s carnival committee to choose sport as its theme for next year’s extravaganza.
The 2015 Pershore Carnival will have a ‘Sports Through The Ages’ theme with residents encouraged to dress as famous sportsmen and women past or present or just in general sports outfits.
Next year’s Pershore Carnival will be held on Monday, May 25.
Carnival chairman Colin Shepherd told the Observer he raised the idea of a sports themed event at a recent committee meeting following the success of the Tour of Britain which passed through the town in September.
The event saw hundreds of people and excited school children line up the streets to see the cycling action which came to the county for the first time in six years.
“The great thing with sport is not only does it attract the interest of young people but older people too.” he said.
“Seeing how well the Tour of Britain came through Pershore came into my thinking and I think with sport as our theme, next year’s carnival promises to be something for everyone.”
This year’s carnival was hailed by one of the best ever by Mr Shepherd as thousands descended onto the streets of Pershore for a day of celebration.
But Mr Shepherd warned next year’s Carnival could be less extravagant as last year’s because they will not have a huge grant coming from the Big Lottery Fund.
The carnival received a grant £6,850 to help fund this year’s event but according to Mr Shepherd rules dictate a group or organisation cannot receive funds for a second year running.
“We know we won’t have the Lottery grant for next year so that is something we will have to contend with and are concerned about. Because of that instead of international acts like we had for our evening concert we may have to have local acts
instead.”
The committee’s main charities they wish to fund-raise for are Pershore Swimming Club and the 1st Pershore Scout Group.
