A saviour is urgently needed to take over the reins at Sittingbourne Carnival Association to ensure the town's annual parade continues.

Pam Griggs, who has chaired the group for 15 years, is standing down and has appealed for a volunteer to take her place.

She said: "I'm going to be 80 next year so I think its time I gave up and handed over to someone else. But it has been difficult to find a replacement. People often think its just for one day but it needs all-year commitment.

"This time of the year is when associations select their courts. Then our girls are invited to represent their town at other carnivals from mid-June to mid-October and are often asked to attend fetes and events."

She added: "It would be such a shame if the carnival folded. There has been one since 1893."

She admitted: "It has changed an awful lot since I first became involved in 1991 as treasurer and then secretary. In those days, we just needed to warn the police of the date and everyone just turned up. Now we have so much red tape and bureaucracy. There are pages of it. It's getting beyond a joke. It's a never-ending battle. There is so much health and safety.

"We have to notify Swale council of road closures 12 weeks in advance and it has become more difficult to use lorries in the procession because it counts against drivers' hours."

It costs £3,500 a year to run the carnival which includes public liability insurance and travel and upkeep for the float.

Pam, who lives in Bell Road and for years ran it with Bill Smith until he retired in 2007 and she took over as chairman, said: "We don't get anything from Swale council although individual councillors are very generous with their own allowances. We always get £100 from the Whistling Postman Dale Howting, who raises money for local charities, and we have help with the cost of printing our programmes."

She added: "Although it takes a lot of work, it is always worth the effort to see the smiles on peoples' faces as the floats go by. And it is a great experience for our girls."

The current queen is Emily Thomas. Nola Hart is the princess. The carnival is on the last Saturday in June.

Danielle Hoynes, who chairs the Sittingbourne Christmas Lights Association, backed up Pam's concerns about red tape.

She said: "People don't realise just how many hoops we have to jump through to stage a public event these days. Kent Highways makes us weigh all our Christmas lights to ensure they aren't too heavy for their lampposts.

"We also have to spend hours writing risk assessments. I'm not saying its wrong but volunteers need to know what they are taking on."

Other towns have already lost their carnivals but Faversham, Leysdown, Herne Bay and Margate continue to generate crowds.

And this summer the Sheppey carnival based in Sheerness is poised to make a come-back after a break when its organisers threw in the towel.

Sheerness Town Council ran a pedestrian-only version last year but volunteers on the Sheerness Town Team have picked up the baton and are planning a week-long Festival of the Sea in August with cars and trailers allowed but no lorries.

History

There has been a tradition of holding a carnival in Sittingbourne for 129 years.

Historians can trace the first back to 1893 when Queen Victoria was still on the throne. In 1952, when our present Queen took over from her father 70 years ago, Sittingbourne's carnival was still going strong.

That year it was held on the evening of Wednesday, July 9 and organised by the Sittingbourne British Legion and Ivy Leaf Memorial Club. Thousands lined the streets to watch the 90-minute parade.

After it finished, carnival queen Bonnie Kemp with her attendants Nadine Mills and Margaret Court presented prizes during a dance at the Carmel Hall in Ufton Lane.

Sixty years ago, the town's carnival queen was Marguerite Hallard of Hempstead Lane, Bapchild. The "petite 20-year-old brunette" worked as a receptionist for a Maidstone building firm and was engaged to Terry Maxted, a former Sittingbourne footballer. She said she only entered to prove she was "not as plump" as her friends said she was. Her attendants were Gwendoline Knight and Marlene Scott, both of whom lived on the Manor Grove estate.

Those interested in taking on Pam's role should email sittingbournekm@thekmgroup.co.uk and we will pass on your details.