‘Wonderful’ Whaley Wharf Weekend attracts thousands of visitors

The two day community festival welcomed more than 2,000 people over the weekend at the Transhipment Warehouse in Whaley Bridge.

Organiser Nev Clarke said: “We had a wonderful Whaley Wharf Weekend.

“People turned up in the rain and in the sun to make the event a success and everyone had a great time.”The monthly FAB market was taking place at the warehouse and there were also games, live music and storytelling.

Nev said: “The storytelling was the biggest draw for the weekend.”The group recently received £10,000 from Historic England and have been working with local schools teaching for a few month and teaching them how life would have been like for children more than 100 years ago.

Ian and Jo Douglas, along with storyteller Gacko, enthralled audiences from four to 94 alike at the canal basin.

Nev said: “The children wrote their own stories and some of them were told at the Wharf Weekend.

“Stories are so important because they give us a chance to connect and hear people.

“Before there was access to news on everyone’s phones and before people could read or write the news was told through storytellers who used to travel from village to village.

“Without those stories that have been passed down from generation to generation we wouldn’t have our history.

“So it has been great to rebuild that connection and focus on talking and being in the moment.”Some of the other stalls at the weekend which encouraged people to have a go at archery were organised by the local scout group who are raising funds to go to the next world scout jamboree in Norway next year.

Nev added: “The Whaley Wharf Weekend celebrates the anniversary of residents returning to the town after the Toddbrook Dam incident.

“It is about being together and I think once again it was the perfect weekend where we showed just how important community is.

“The Transhipment Warehouse is in the centre of town and it was great to see it filled with so many people having a good time.”