THE THIRD Thornwell and Bulwark walking carnival and fete took place last Sunday (10th July).

The procession left Thornwell Football Club at noon and passed through Bulwark before arriving at Chepstow Rugby Club at 1pm. The walk was led by the queen of the carnival, Sophie Beard, 14, with princesses Poppy Scanlon, 3, and Teya Andrews, 8, who rode on a sleigh donated by Chepstow Round Table.

The carnival was organised by Chepstow, Bulwark and Thornwell community group ComBat.

The procession was followed by a fete at Chepstow Rugby Club from 1pm until 4pm. The fete featured an owl display, a magical performance by Wizzo the Wizard, paintballing, go karts, a barbecue, stalls, and a bouncy castle to entertain the carnival-goers.

The fancy dress competition was won by Ffae Thomas, 5, who was dressed as a devil.

Mayor Cllr Paul Pavia, who attended alongside deputy mayor Cllr Marc Le Peltier, said:

“I had a fantastic few hours walking with the sledge, which carried the carnival queen and princesses from Thornwell FC to Chepstow RFC.

“As the chair of the council, my primary focus is to do everything I can to enhance the social and cultural well-being of the town as a whole.

“Of course there will be many events focused in and around our many town centre venues but we should not forget the very local events that take place in our communities right across the town.

“The Thornwell and Bulwark Walking Carnival is one of those important events which continues to evolve and grow year on year.

“It’s well supported locally, not just from residents and the respective sporting clubs but also voluntary organisations like the Lions and the Roundtable, as well as local businesses that provide vital sponsorship to allow this event to run.

“My highlight was judging the fancy dress competition that took place at the fete. It was a very tough job but the winning entry was well deserved.”

The next ComBat community event will be a family sports day at Chepstow Rugby Club on Saturday 20th August from 11am until 4pm.