Rushcart team new blood call
ORGANISERS of this year’s Whitworth Rushcart celebrations have called for new, younger volunteers to get involved and carry on the centuriesold tradition.
The increasingly family-focused event attracts 1,500 visitors annually, and this year’s event is on Sunday, September 4, with the procession leaving from Whitworth Museum at 1pm.
Featuring numerous traditional morris dance troupes (including the famous Britannia Coconutters and the Whitworth Morris Men), it will travel up the main road, led by the Rushcart itself, arriving at the Ashcroft at approximately 1.20pm.
The Tourism and Leisure Committee of Whitworth Town Council has been working alongside the multi-agency Events Safety Group on this year’s festivities.
In a statement, they said: “Some of the garland dancers were there when the Rushcart was revived in 1976, and they are getting on a bit.
“For most dance sides it is a hobby, practising and performing regularly through the year.
“The Whitworth Rushcart dancers are purely ceremonial, they meet up before the event to run through the dance, help build the cart, dress up for the day and lead the procession then meet up for a pint afterwards - that’s it for the next 12 months.
“It is more like turning out for the Village Fete tug of war team once a year than being committed to membership of a club.
“The garland dance should be done with 16 [people] - but hasn’t been since the early 90s.
“Now it is hard to find eight to 10 of the original dancers who are fit enough to turn out.
“Six years ago some of the wives and daughters joined in to help keep numbers up, so there is room for the ladies too.
“The broom girls, cart pullers and general helpers also need new blood so if dancing isn’t your thing, don’t worry.”
From 1.15pm until 4.30pm, the car park of The Ashcroft will be cor
doned off for stalls, entertainments, and performances from the
various morris dancing troupes including the Whitworth Rushcart
Men and the Coconutters, along with the Whitworth Vale and Healey Youth Band.
St Bartholomew’s Church will be providing traditional hot food, and the Ashcroft bar will be open for liquid refreshments.
There will also be an Arts and Craft Fair, featuring a variety of artisan stalls in the Ashcroft main hall – there are a limited number of stalls still available.
There will also be rides, face painting and other entertainments.
For more information call Clive Morton on 01706 852018 or email Melanie, town clerk on info@whitworth.gov.uk