I HAVE lived in Bridgwater all my life, and have held several jobs including working at Sedgemoor District Council for 26 years where I took early retirement.

It was at work I met my wife, Janet, as she also worked for the council at Bridgwater Town Hall. We got married in 1981 and have two children, Stuart and Gemma, and two grandsons Louie and Harry.

My earliest memory of carnival was in 1958, and I will never forget it.

I was eight years old and unwell, and my grandad took me to Wells to watch the carnival.

Walking to the procession route, a member of Lime Kiln CC in full ‘Witch Doctor’ costume jumped over the wall by the toilets and frightened me to death! Thankfully I survived and lived to tell the tale.

Then in 1971, whilst working at Kraft along with Mike Rider, we started Bath Bridge CC and I agreed to take on the roles of Secretary and tractor driver.

Bridgwater Mercury: Dave Croker, who was elected president of Bridgwater Carnival in March.Dave Croker, who was elected president of Bridgwater Carnival in March. (Image: Bridgwater Carnival)

After a few amalgamations, we eventually teamed up with Griffens CC, and in 1979 we joined the Bridgwater Carnival Gangs & Features, which I became treasurer of.

I joined Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Committee in 1983, and as well as being collection officer from 1986 to 1996, I have also taken on many other roles including treasurer, secretary and chairman.

Janet joined the committee in 1996 when she was persuaded to be Catering Officer, and since then has also taken on other roles.

We are both life members of Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival, and I am also a life member of the Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnivals Association.

After being on the carnival committee for 45 years, I am so proud to have been elected as President and given the opportunity to represent one of the best carnivals in the world.

Plans are progressing well with this year’s carnival activities, and the long term outlook for our carnival is also looking positive.

Tickets for the carnival concerts and the procession grandstands are selling well, and we will soon be starting with enhancing the Bristol Road carnival site, where many of our clubs construct their fantastic entries.

It is now just over five months until the carnival returns once again to the streets of Bridgwater on Saturday, November 2.

My hopes for this year are that we have a dry night, a safe evening, a large collection, no breakdowns and a very receptive audience.

I really do look forward to seeing you there.

Dave Croker
President
Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival