Shawclough Aug/Sept 2015

WhitworthScarecrowFestivalThe fifth Whitworth Scarecrow Festival took place from Saturday 27 June to Sunday 5 July, and the talentand imagination on display was as impressive as ever.The festival saw 30 separate displays scattered across the length of the town, withentries ranging from characters from popular children’s films to original ideasinspired by topical events or pure imagination. Some displays were produced bymembers of the public and some were made by schools, churches and localbusinesses and voluntary organisations. The weather was reasonably kind withlittle rain landing over the course of the nine days, and there was a great take-up ofthe official trail maps.The festival spirit was dampened, however, by the vandalism of a couple ofscarecrows, with the display made by Healey Care Ltd, situated on the main road inFacit, receiving a lot of damage.This year the public voted on which display they would like to see win.146 votes were cast, and the winner was announced at the town’s FamilyFun Day on Sunday 5 July:Winner: ‘Curiouser and Curiouser’ (Orama Avenue)2nd Place: ‘A Cut Above’ (School Terrace)3rd place (joint winner): ‘Rasta Crow’ (Princess Street)3rd place (joint winner): ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf’ (StBartholomew’s Primary)All votes cast were automatically entered into a prize draw to win avegetable box from Facit Garden Centre; the lucky winner was NickieBaron.Winner: ‘Curiouser and Curiouser’(Orama Avenue)The festival is organised by the Whitworth Tourism and Leisure Committee.Councillor David Chorlton, chair of the Committee says: “The main aims of thefestival are to encourage a sense of pride in our town, and to give the communitysomething a little different; judging from the very positive feedback we feel theFestival continues to achieve these aims. On behalf of the Committee, I’d like to2nd Place: ‘A Cut Above’(School Terrace)thank everyone who took part in the Festival and who took the time to visit the displays. The entrants worked so hard on theirdisplays – some were funny, some more poignant, but all were wonderful and we look forward to doing it all again in 2016. Asalways, we would encourage as many members of the Whitworth community to take part next year, and dates and details of howto enter will be issued in due course.”For more information, please contact Whitworth Town Council on 01706 852018 / info@whitworth.gov.uk.Visit our website www.streetwisemag.co.uk for all the info about the Streetwise magazinesPhotos: Mike Burgess33