life
PROPERTY
A man
for all
seasons
By Roz Whistance
“I quite like organising things,”
says Chris Waddington, leader
of Yarmouth’s Carnival
Committee. Human dynamo
isn’t quite the right term for
Chris: that implies energy
without thought, action
but hang the detail. Chris
Waddington, on the contrary,
is all about detail.
The profound joy he gets
from seeing the community
enjoy the events he has
organised, his selfless desire
28
to organise events and raise
money for others, and indeed
a great sense of fun are not
immediately apparent when
he talks of sheer amount of
organisation involved.
It was after singing carols
with the Slipshod Singers,
and seeing so few attending
the evening that he took on
Carols in the Square. He feels
that carol singing at Christmas
should be for everyone, not
just for the few stalwarts. Most
importantly he believes that
traditional events, such as
pancake races, should not be
allowed to die.
Having once been area
secretary of the Old Gaffers
Association, and still being
an honorary member, he was
particularly thrilled when the
Old Gaffers Festival came to
Yarmouth. Whilst he’d like
to offer more help than he
does, he is rather too involved
with the organisation of the
Carnival. For the events which
punctuate Yarmouth’s social
calendar are all organised
by Yarmouth Carnival
Committee. “They are
marvellous people who give
all the time they can,” he says
approvingly.
Resident for just seven
years, he had been coming
to Yarmouth for carnival
week every year since his five
children were babies. It was
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