Posted by Stella Gooch
Photos by Stella Gooch & Barry Gardiner
Hat trick for Heacham Judo Club as the Simpsons
Click to see more photos of Heacham Carnival 2012.
The forecast shown on the BBC website for Sunday 5 August the night before predicted sunshine in the morning but rain from around midday throughout the afternoon. I thought, wow Heacham Carnival always has the sun shining on it. I checked again early on Carnival Day to find the forecast had improved to say rain would be later on in the afternoon. Great I thought, we will get the parade through and the majority of Carnival Day will happen in the sun. Well ….. almost!
Lavender Queen & Princesses at start of parade
The car boot and fete was set up early as usual and visitors came out in great numbers as you would hope. I arrived in Heacham in good time to follow the parade and get some photos. This year’s parade was smaller than in the past but the entries were of a high quality. Well done to all those that put in the hard work to make such a display of colour possible.
In glorious sunshine, the floats set off from College Drive at the unusually later time of 2.30pm as advertised. The Peterborough Highland Pipe Band marched with the rest of the parade through Heacham displaying the full splendor of their impressive uniforms and filled the air with the emotive bagpipes and drums.
By the time the floats arrived at the bottom of Heacham High Street (where I waited patiently with my camera) and prepared to turn left towards the Heacham playing fields dark clouds had built up right overhead and a steady stream of cars headed towards the parade beating a hasty retreat in an attempt to beat the weather. The retreating cars forced the parade to pause and once the way was clear I had my opportunity to get my photos for Heacham-On-Line.
Miss UK marches on in true British fashion!
Just as I began to click, both my camera and I were literally bathed in cascading rain. It was hilarious – most people caught up in the maelstrom couldn’t help laughing through it as the parade continued towards Heacham playing fields to the sound of the Peterborough Highland Pipe Band. All credit to the band members who continued to march stoically throughout the downpour despite being all wet through to the skin in just 5 minutes like the rest of us.
It was as if a tap had been turned on one moment and then turned off the next because in the short distance from the High Street to the Heacham playing fields the sun was trying to break through once again and the rain had disappeared. I will forever picture Heacham Carnival 2012 with Carnival winners, The Simpson Family by Heacham Judo Club, marching to the fields with the make-up streaming down their faces. I felt quite sorry for the Carnival Lavender Queen, Millie Jose, and her Princesses (Jessica Parish, Hannah Stafford and Poppy Jose) who were literally shivering with cold after the rain whilst they were doing their best to perform their duties at the awards ceremony.
The Best Family Float was by the Guymer Family who did an excellent “Jolly Roger” and Heacham in Bloom won the “Best Group” category with the “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party”. Remarkably, Heacham Judo Club’s Simpsons winning the “Best Overall” category chalks up a hat trick for them – 3 Carnivals in a row.
Also at the Carnival was Heacham’s Torch Bearer, James Pollard who had also attended complete with the Olympic Torch.
Peterborough Highland Pipe Band march on in the Heacham rain
A little about the Peterborough Highland Pipe Band
The Peterborough Highland Pipe Band have been entertaining the public since 1947 and was formed by Pipe Major James Hanlon with a group of former Scots Guards. They have won many competitions and became English Champions, receiving the coveted silver Drum Major’s Mace.
The band are self-funding and regularly attend events like Heacham Carnival. The band help raise funds for their various charities, attend many Remembrance Parades and have worked closely with The Royal British Legion. Private bookings (ie weddings, funerals etc) are a speciality for the band and you can find out more on their website.
