British Flag CC Take Top Prize At Carnival Concerts
October 2011
British Flag Carnival Club took the top award as the curtains closed last night on the 2011 Bridgwater Carnival Concerts, and opened up a new chapter in the club’s prestigious history.
With their performance ‘Once upon a time in 1929’, the Bridgwater club won the prestigious White Hart Cup, which is awarded to the gang and feature gaining the highest number of points throughout the concert fortnight. This is the first time the club, based at The British Flag pub, Chilton Street, have won top prize at the annual concerts.
John Holliday, stage and production manager for the club, was delighted with the success. He said: “This is the first time we have ever won the stage. All of the hard work and effort has paid off and we are all extremely proud.”
Gremlins CC were overall runners up with their entry ‘Jockomo Feena’, while Ramblers CC came third with ‘Bourbon Street Party’.
There were other awards for Gremlins CC who won the Millennium Cup for best stage setting, and the Arthur Rainey Cup for best comic act, and YMCA CC who won the Les Manley Cup for most improved club. Andy Meek from Ramblers CC was awarded the Reg Dyer Personality Cup, and Jessica Gardner won the Bert Snook Rose Bowl for the best under 17 front of curtain act and the Judges Cup for best single vocalist. There were also awards for singing duo Molly & Kirby who won the Athletic Sports Cup for best vocal act (two or more persons) and Viva La Diva (Katy Gunningham, Claire Taylor, Emily Meek, Ria Moran, Louise Phillips, Natalia Budd and Shelley Smith) who won the George Bown Cup for best song, dance, musical or novelty act. Julia McDonald Dance Company took the Suffragettes Cup for the best costume and the Starkey Cup for their show ‘Go Go Go Joseph’.
Dave Stokes, publicity officer for Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Committee, paid tribute to all of the entertainers. He said: “Every year the standard of the concert seems to get better and better, and it is great to know that we have so many talented individuals in Bridgwater.”
Carnival concerts have been held in the town since 1883 and the main sponsor for this year’s event was Gerber Juice Company Ltd, with Bridgwater and Burnham Weekly Times sponsoring the concert programme, Somerset Car Sales the tickets, and Angel Place Shopping Centre sponsoring the front of curtain act audition. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank our four main sponsors for their generosity and continued support”, added Dave. “Without this invaluable help the concerts would not be as popular as they are.”
