As the sun sets on Spalding Flower Parade, two of its leading ladies have thanked the organiser and volunteers who made it happen.
As the sun sets on a major event that saw thousands of visitors descend upon Spalding, its two leading ladies have reflected on a day that created memories to treasure.
Rebecca Roberts, known as Becs, wore a gold sparkly Fancy Frox gown, sash and tiara as she took to the iconic float in her role as Flower Queen for the two-day Spalding Flower Parade organised by Stephen Timewell and his team of volunteers.
Accompanied by her deputy Demi Gilchrist Fontaine, stunning in a light blue floor-length dress, the duo waved to the crowds and look forward to representing the town in the year ahead.
Becs, 36, from Pinchbeck, said: “I just want to say how incredibly hard Stephen worked.
“When I went to see him he looked exhausted. Also thanks to all the volunteers. We are all shattered.”
Some 200 volunteers were involved with organising the parade, which takes a year to plan ahead, and Becs also helped out with pinning on the tulips.
But some people took to social media to criticise the parade, stating that they would have liked to have seen more fresh tulips.
Becs has responded by saying: “There was such a community spirit and so much effort put into it.
“I think everyone agrees, don't comment (negatively) if you're not going to help out.
“We can only do what we can do with the resources we have got and everything that we didn't pick was ploughed back into the ground.”
Becs and Demi have attended a number of events in their roles including visiting Spalding Library and the South Holland Centre.
Becs said: “I love chatting to people and meeting new people and hearing their stories.
“Especially when they have been part of the parade in the past.”
After the parade Becs did a bucket collection in the pubs and raised £175 and her family have been involved with the parade too.
She said: “It has been amazing to see how much work has gone into it.
“Everybody who created the floats and all the dance groups and bands that performed.
“My husband Terry has been helping to move the pallets.”
Her daughter Poppy, 4, and son Alfie, 2, were with Becs on the day of the parade which consisted of two long days involved at the event.
She said: “The kids were fast asleep on the sofa.
“Poppy has gone to nursery in her tiara as I had said she could wear it.”
She is keen to show her Nan photos from the day as she was unable to walk too far and wants to take unused tulips to care homes to present to residents who were unable to attend.
Becs said: “I am going to the care homes with Laura Hudson who is Miss Ocean World and we will take the tulips.”
After a whirlwind parade Becs and Demi will be flying out in August to attend Battle of the Flowers in Jersey.
Demi said: “When we had the civic lunch with the ambassadors and the mayor of Jersey they were telling us a lot about it and how much goes into it (their parade).
“All the flowers get imported and so many elements go into the parade so I am excited about representing Spalding.
“It will be amazing seeing people come from all over the place and be a part of such a large flower parade like Spalding.”
Like Becs, Demi had her family supporting her on the day and she also thanked Stephen for the huge-scale event.
Demi said: “People were coming up to me and congratulating me to say that they hope I have an amazing year.
“I cannot thank the organisers and the volunteers enough for all the hard work they have done backstage and on the day.
“Stephen said how proud of us he was and thanked us for being a part of it.
“We really should be thanking him.
“Without him and the rest of the team there would be no flower parade.”
Demi plans to use her role to help raise awareness about issues she cares about such as homelessness and those with hidden disabilities like herself, brain injury that impacts her health.
She said: “I definitely say that if you have a dream just go for it you never know where it will end up.
“My message to people with a brain injury is don't give up and don't let it stop you, it happened but it doesn't define you.
“I definitely want to go to more food banks and homeless shelters and dedicate my spare time.
“Not because I have to but because I want to.
“I aim to use my deputy platform to advertise that the local business and shelters do need the extra help.
“I would like to host a cake sale or something like that and the money raised from baking the cakes goes towards housing those sleeping rough tonight.
“I would really like to do things like that while I am in the role.”
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