This evening our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE and Team Committee member Elaine Gilliland journeyed to the Longfield Centre in Prestwich, as guests of the Prestwich Carnival Committee at their Charity Presentation evening.

The evening centred around the presentation of donations to local charities from monies raised at this years successful Prestwich Festival, which culminated in the Prestwich Carnival.

The donations were handed out in the presence of the Prestwich Carnival Princess and the Prestwich Carnival Regal Princess, Ivan Lewis Member of Parliament for Prestwich and Bury South, David Curtis, Prestwich Festival Organiser, and Peter Timperley, Treasurer of the Prestwich Carnival.

David Curtis in opening the proceedings gave tribute to Janet McAvenue, who sadly passed away just after the 2009 Carnival, and had been associated with the event for ten years.

Ivan Lewis MP, then talked about how the Prestwich Festival and Carnival was central to the rejuvenation of Prestwich in recent years and how it serves to give a community focus and identity to the residents of Prestwich.

Thanks were also expressed to the organising committee for the festival, otherwise known as the ’Sunshine Team,’ many of whom were present at this evenings presentation, and to the three Local Councillors present whose support of the festival was also acknowledged.

Donations were handed out to the following organisations;

• 88th Salford (Servite) Scout Group,
• 19th Prestwich (St. Andrews) Scout Group,
• Alder Hey Childrens Hospital, (Mac House),
• The United Churches of Prestwich,
• Prestwich Lions,
• Bury Amateur Football Club, based at Drinkwater Park,
• The Skatepark Group, representing over 200x skate boarders, in-line skaters and BMX riders in the Prestwich area, in its ambition to have a skate park
  constructed in St Mary’s Park, Prestwich,

• and of course finally ourselves, Bolton Mountain Rescue Team.

Representatives from each group were invited to say a few words about their respective organisations, with our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE briefly explaining to all present the work of Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, with particular emphasis on some of the incidents attended in the Prestwich area, for missing people,injured mountain bikers and horse riders in the many local woodlands and the occasional ’rope swing faller’ in the many steep sided wooded streams in the local area.

The evening concluded with much socialising and networking between all present over an enjoyable buffet.

On behalf of the whole team Garry and Elaine would like to thank all the members of the Prestwich Carnival Committee for their very supportive and kind £100.00 donation received tonight, and best wishes for their 2010 event next summer.