It is a privilege and a pleasure to invite you all to attend the 52nd Rose Fair parades, which take place tomorrow.

In keeping with tradition, there will be two parades, at 11am at 2pm. They start in Queen’s Road and will follow the same route as previous years.

This year, the parades will be led by Rose Queen Elisha Thorpe.

The theme for this year’s parade is ‘Animated Film’, which I’m sure will enable schools, organisations, clubs and charities to put on a colourful spectacle.

As the parades travel through the town, you will see our collectors walking alongside carrying a bucket with our Round Table Rondel on it, collecting any loose change you may have.

Please give generously, as all the money collected is distributed by Round Table to help and support good local causes.

I would also like to thank my fellow Tablers for the hard work they put into organising the parades, with a special mention to Simon Johnson who as chairman of our Rose Fair Committee has overseen the details in ensuring that this year’s event goes ahead.

Also, ‘thank you’ to all of our sponsors for the support to help pay for the parades, the transport firms who provide the lorries and drivers, the entrants for the Rose Queen competition, Fenland District Council for its continued support, the entrants who put so much hard work into making the floats and all the people who come and watch on the day.

A special thanks go to businesses that have already supported by giving donations including: Kett Autopaints (Anglia), DA Gathercole, Brink Medicines, English Brothers, Masters & Co, Alfred Harold (Containers), Top to Toe (Bliss), Supercrete Groundworks, Elgood & Sons, Coakley Opticians, Bluechip Brand Solutions, Bruch & Co, BD Upton Builders, Drake Towage, Metcalfe Copeman & Pettefar LLP, Crowson & Ward, Geoff Beel Consultancy, Humphrey Associates, Moore Thompson, Anglia Components, Mendi’s, SB Components (International), Elmstok, Brown & Co, HL Hutchinson and Wheelers.

We would urge any businesses who wish to make further donations to send cheques made payable to Wisbech Round Table at 27-29 Old Market, Wisbech, PE13 1NE. Individuals can donate using the Charity Text Giving Service by texting ROSE37 followed by the amount you wish to donate to 70070.

We hope that you enjoy the parade.

SAM SMITH

Chairman, Wisbech Round Table

Via e-mail