Scarecrows set up shop

Shopkeepers and market traders designed straw men and women for a scarecrow trail in Dewsbury.

Families have been collecting clue sheets from the town centre management team in the town hall, the market office and participating shops, to help them find some of the 29 scarecrows.

Those taking part have been invited to name the locations of seven scarecrows on their sheet. Completed forms have then been entered into a prize draw to win a family ticket to Ponderosa Rural Therapeutic Centre in Heckmondwike.

The event was the brainchild of Andrew Hutchinson, vice-chairman of Dewsbury Town Team and vice-president of the Chamber of Trade.

Trish Makepeace, president of the Chamber of Trade and chairman of the Market Traders’ Association, took the idea to the market traders, who got involved, and all market stall holders and shops in the town were invited to take part.

Last Saturday, volunteers from Dewsbury Town Team gave up their time to help youngsters make their own scarecrows at a series of workshops.

There was also input from Kirklees Council, through its events officers and Batley and Dewsbury Town Centre Management.

The event was sponsored by Ponderosa, who also supplied the frames for the scarecrows.

The Deputy Mayor of Kirklees Coun Christine Iredale and her husband, Robert, had a look at the scarecrows last week and were presented with flowers from the market traders to say thank you.

On Wednesday Howard Cook from Ponderosa and Coun Paul Kane (Lab, Dews East) judged the scarecrows and picked the best one in a shop and the best one on the market.

Coun Kane said: “It was fantastic. The designs were very, very good and there were some great ideas and a lot of initiative shown.”

There is still chance to take part in the trail today, when Dewsbury will be transformed into a beach for Dewsbury-on-Sea.

The winners of the best scarecrow contests and the prize draw will be announced by the Mayor of Kirklees Coun Eric Firth (Lab, Dews East) at the event tomorrow at noon.