Northwich Town Centre May 7/8 - 2011
Free Admission and Free Parking
www.thundersprint.com

Thundersprint 2010 on TV

The hour long Thundersprint 2010 TV show will be aired for the first time by Motors TV on Thursday 8 July, at 21.15.

The programme is far more a documentary than the normal sports reports shown on specialist TV channels. The show follows Chris Walker as the Norton factory race prepares his 961 Commando. Then, the cameras focus on Chris at the Thundersprint Bike show – and move with him as he enjoys a 6am start at the following day’s racing. Motorcycle racing can be a tough business!

Finally, there is some incredible footage of the “Stalker” giving Norton their first ever race win with the all new Commando.

Classic superstars Jim Redman and Sammy Miller feature heavily supported by BBC TV’s Steve Parrish and current Grand Prix star, Danny Webb.

Trader insights are provided by Eric Warburton of the Thundersprint’s title sponsor, Knutsford Honda, whilst Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Leader, Mike Jones, shows the area’s support for what is by far their biggest tourism event.

The programme shows all the skills of top international Director/Producer Rob Hallam - and the huge amount of time, effort and money which was lavished on the show.

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THE people of Northwich are being urged to support their town’s historic celebration this weekend.

The 122nd Northwich Carnival starts on Saturday, July 3, with the parade making its way from Denton Drive to Verdin Park at 1pm.

Organiser Barbara Turner said: “I would say to people just come and enjoy yourself and let’s let the tradition carry on.

“If people don’t support it it will just die out.”

Chloe Gibson, this year’s carnival queen, will be crowned by Weaver Vale MP Graham Evans in Verdin Park at 3pm.

Other entertainment in the arena includes Alderley District Scout Band, Wirral Pipe Band, Blue Dragon Taekwondo, Delamere Dog Display Team, Fleur-de-Lys Majorettes, Elite Dancers and Quicksteps School of Dance.

Saturday’s events will also include the Cheshire Strongest Man qualifier for UK North.

On Sunday there will be a car-boot sale from 8am, a novice strongman contest and a novelty dog show, with entries from 11am and judging at noon.

Barbara said: “We started the dog show two or three years ago and it’s quite popular.

“It’s not Crufts but it’s good fun.”

Read more at The Northwich Guardian.

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Photographs of the Cheshire 2010 are now online in the Gallery.
http://www.northwichuk.com/pics/thumbnails.php?album=60

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A RECORD attendance of over 85,000 people attended this year’s Cheshire Show, which was a celebration of all that is great and good about the county.

Crowds were greeted by temperatures of 24 degrees and a range of exciting attractions including the Bold Dog Lings motorcycle display team, The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas and a breathtaking display from Gauntlet Birds of Prey.

Nigel Evans, Executive Director of the show, said: "The record number of visitors is proof that the show continues to go from strength to strength despite difficult economic times. I believe the secret of our success is offering a fantastic spectacle that is also good value for money.

"Achieving this would not be possible without the amazing efforts and hard work of our team of over 300 volunteers and I must congratulate all those involved in the show for making 2010 another hugely successful year.”

Visitors had the opportunity to get a stunning aerial view from the UK’s largest viewing wheel, which at 33-metres high offered a spectacular glimpse of the 800-acre showground and surrounding countryside.

The sun was out on Tuesday and Wednesday (June 22 and 23) and so were the stars as famous faces – and voices – from television and radio joined the gathered throngs.

Charles Collingwood and Judy Bennett, from BBC Radio 4’s long-running soap ‘The Archers’, met the public and also took part in a live cookery demonstration in the Roberts Bakery Food Hall – which once again proved to be one of the show’s most popular attractions.

"It's great to be here and celebrate farming and agriculture which is the essence of The Archers. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself at this fantastic event,” said Charles.

Former Emmerdale actors Chris Villiers and Matt Healy also mingled with visitors as they helped to promote the 50th anniversary of Leukaemia and Lymphoma research.

The real stars of the show, however, were the hundreds of livestock and other animals that came from all over the country to compete for the coveted titles.

Show chairman Tony Garnett said: "This year’s show was a great celebration of Cheshire’s farming heritage and its strong roots in agriculture.

"It was heart warming to see visitors of all ages coming to the show and there are probably few counties in the UK that have as genuine a love for the countryside as we see here in Cheshire.”

Some of the competition highlights were the cattle, light horse and dog shows which all saw a massive number of entries with some of the finest animals in the country.

The main aim of this year’s show was to bring the farming community and the general public closer together and the Sainsbury’s Agri Centre helped to do just that by giving people of all ages the chance to meet farmers and see animals up close.

Sponsored by leading supermarket Sainsbury’s for the first time, one of the key aims of the Agri-Centre was also to educate the public on where their food comes from and the journey it takes from ‘plough to plate’.

The public could also try a range of other countryside pursuits such as clay shooting, archery and even duck herding in the ‘Countryside Experience’ area, which has now been part of the show for three years.

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Do any readers/members recognise any of these two ladies? The photo was taken by a Northwich photographer and appears to have been taken in the 1960s. I am currently researching my family history and believe them to be relatives of my grandfather, Herbert Cousins, born at Congleton (Arclid) Workhouse in 1896. His mother was Caroline Cousins, fustian cutter of Sandbach, his father is not on his birth certificate. In 1901 he was living in Burton with a couple from Sandbach, Joseph and Annie Wheatley. Other residents of the house were Fred Wheatley (nephew) and Frederick Whittaker, brother-in-law of Joseph.. I know very little of his life until 1911 when he was at Bradwall Training School. He served in the Lancashire Fusiliers in Gallipoli until he was discharged due to wounds received during the war. He married my grandmother, Mary, in Derby in 1919. Between 1920 and 1931 they had eight children.

He was known as Bert and, during the 1960s, used to ride a green Francis Barnet motorbike and he played cricket, I believe, for a team in Sandbach until his playing days were over, when he became an umpire. I'm told he made frequent visits on his motorbike to family in Northwich, Nantwich, Sandbach and surrounding areas. He always said that he was brought up by "Auntie Ginny/Ginnie". The two other photos show Grandad and Grandma on their wedding day in 1919 and Grandad with his sister-in-law in the 1960s, around the time of his visits to Cheshire.

Any information would be greatly appreciated so if anyone can help with anything, please contact me at gillcousins@ntlworld.com.

Thanks,
Gill Cousins