New chairman Tim Mourne will find a lot of new faces among the ‘royalty’ at Whaley Bridge’s Rose Queen Festival in June. Queen for the last two years, Annabel Wilde, 14, will be stepping down along with most of her retinue, as a new queen is crowned and takes over on Carnival Day, Saturday 28 June.
Diane Wilde, mother of Rose Queen, with ‘royalty’ Oliver and Sophie Nunn
The search for the new queen and retinue is now on. Parents are invited to bring their daughters – or sons, for boys can play a role in the retinue as well – to the selection meeting on Sunday 9 March at 11am in the Bowling Club.
Said Tim: “This is a fantastic opportunity to participate in a fun and rewarding year of local events, and to make new friends along the way.”
The committee is looking for:
¨ a rose queen (age 12 upwards)
¨ junior queen (10 upwards)
¨ princess (8 or 9)
¨ rosebud/petal (3 upwards)
Parents can also enter their child as an attendant or pageboy for the year.
Diane Wilde, mum of current Rose Queen Annabel (‘don’t call me queen mother!’) recommends other parents to consider taking their children to the selection day.
“It’s a marvellous thing to do for your village,“ she says. “Royalty have lots of fun and meet some lovely people. The committee is very kind and considerate.
“It’s fun choosing a dress with your daughter. We got a very nice dress from the East Cheshire Hospice shop’s bridal suite.”
Annabel will wear for the last few month’s of her reign a slightly adapted wedding dress used by her mum’s cousin Leanne for her wedding last year.
Flashback to 2013: Rose Queen Annabel and retinue enjoying Carnival day
Diane, a higher level teaching assistant at The Marlborough Primary School, Tytherington, keeps in touch with her daughter’s retinue. On one half term day, she was looking after twins Oliver and Sophie Nunn, aged seven. Sophie was a petal and Oliver a pageboy. He says the best part was carrying the crown for Annabel at last year’s carnival.
Further information from Tim Mourne on 01663 734930