The sun shone brightly as youth and voluntary groups in Market Drayton displayed their talents at a town fun day last Saturday.
The annual Community Fun Day, organised by Market Drayton Lions Day, drew hundreds of people to the Little Drayton Play Area.
Attractions included a marching display by 24 Squadron Market Drayton Air Cadets, a martial arts demonstration by the Valor Ju Jitsu group and a performance by youngsters from Musicland.
Car enthusiasts from the Market Drayton Mini Owners Club celebrated their 10th anniversary by having a stall at the fun day and children were entertained with a puppet show staged by the town’s Methodist Church.
Charities including Mencap, Guide Dogs for the Blind and St John Ambulance were also represented, with town crier Geoff Russell acting as master of ceremonies for the day.
Lions Club president Renee Gunn said: “The day went very well, the weather was very kind to us and everything seemed to go like clockwork.
“People came to see what the young people of Market Drayton are doing, what they can achieve and what they are putting back into the community.
“One of the ideas was to provide somewhere for the children to go where they didn’t have to pay anything and an example of that was the face painting which proved to be a great success. We also had a Big Box Circus demonstrating the techniques of balancing and juggling which the children were enthusiastic to have a go at and couldn’t stay away from.”
A environmental drawing competition for schools was judged on the day and a £100 cash prize was won by Stoke-on-Tern Primary School.
Lions Club members also presented a cheque for £250 to volunteers from Market Drayton Community First Responders who provide medical support to people before an ambulance arrives.
Renee said: “We started off small with last year’s fun day, added a few extra bits this year and we’re already looking at more things for next year.
“All the organisations that came said how good it was and hopefully, we’’ll do something like this again in 2011.”
By Winston Brown
