As most local people will know, Bill Ardern is stepping down from Marple Carnival Charities Committee this year after 20 years of service, the last 14 of them as the group's chairman.

The Marple Website would like to offer its thanks to Bill for his fantastic effort as the leader and figurehead of an enthusiastic and hard working bunch of volunteers who have given the Marple community so much to enjoy over the last 20 years. In addition to the fun and frolics of Carnival Day itself, Bill and his fellow members of the committee have raised thousands of pounds for local causes that they share out at a distribution evening every October.

Bill will formally retire and handover the reins to incoming Chairman John Wright at this year's distribution evening on 22 October and he has decided that his last hurrah will be to raise more money for good causes by auctioning off his Union Jack shirt to the highest bidder.

Everyone will recognise 'Carnival Bill' in his Union Jack shirt and leading the Carnival parade, as shown for the month of June in the very first Marple and Mellor calendar way back in 2003. Above are a few images of Bill at the Carnival, including 2005 when he came disguised as the Tin Man.

If you would like to place a bid for Bill's shirt then please post details of how much you would be prepared to pay to:

Bill Ardern,
Carnival Shirt Auction,
58 Greenbank Crescent,
Marple,
Stockport,
SK6 7PB

The closing date for bids is VERY SOON!

What would you do with Bill's shirt? Well that would be up to the winning bidder but one idea would be to frame it and display it as a tribute in a public place - perhaps Marple Library or one of our local pubs. Or maybe even present it back to Bill as a memento of the community's appreciation of his efforts.

To read more about the 2010 Carnival and see The Marple Website's Carnival photo archives, visit the main Carnival page.