Anne and Colin Gray, committee members of the Ross Town Carnival, who have been heavily involved in the organisation and planning of this wonderful event, are retiring after over 30 years.

They have been involved since the 1980s, and started the ‘Odd Object Competition,’ where members of the public are invited to search for items that don’t belong in the window displays of Ross shops!

Anne, who is Chairman of the Committee told the Ross Gazette: “After over 31 years of being involved in this carnival as members and competitors, Colin and I feel that the time is right to hand over to a younger and forward thinking group.”

Anne added that they traced the carnival all the way back to 1887, but it stopped and then was brought back in 1977 by Mary Dew, a Ross Town Councillor who was also Mayor several times.

“Mary restarted the Carnival in celebration of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, and she also restarted the Town Band and the Christmas Carnival.”

Anne added that her and Colin used to help to make all of the intricate Carnival floats, and had lots of fun doing so.

“The Carnival used to have a programme that would last all week, but now there are many difficulties with making it more than a one-day event.”

She said that there also used to be a Carnival Queen, as well as the princesses, and many Majorettes taking part in the parade.

The new Chairman, Andrew Buffrey, paid tribute to all the work Anne and Colin have done for the Carnival, and he hopes to continue their fantastic work, and he has plans to make the Carnival even “bigger and better.”

The Committee is now looking for new volunteers to help organise the annual event.

Anne said: “We want this great tradition to continue and would ask that people who have ideas to put them forward. Please contact the Commitee via the website and support the group.”

She added: “We would like to thank Ross Town Council for the grant of £500 that they awarded to us.”

For more information and to contact the committee, visit the website www.rosscarnival.org.uk