later that a second appeal for the bid had
proved successful and we were able to go
ahead.
The two-day event proved to be an
unmitigated success and the lads did
Southport proud by delighting the crowds,
who stopped in their hundreds to enjoy
the skill on show. Bill, Peter, Noel and Rich
produced eight magnificent boards, which
were all on displayed by the second day.
There was also an impromptu gallery of A3
gag cartoons, which hung alongside brief
biographies of all the lads.
appropriation of tent cover for the displays
from the council.
I was delighted when Noel Ford, Bill
Stott, Pete Dredge and Rich Skipworth
immediately jumped at the chance to come
up and draw a big board here in Southport.
Amazingly I was then able to ask Roger
Bowles and Tim Leatherbarrow to assist
with the arduous task of caricaturing the
public. All seemed well until the news was
received, a couple of weeks before the
event, that the Council had failed with their
bid after an objection by one local resident.
However and remarkably the council
decided, in their wisdom, to underwrite the
event for this year. Happily it turned out
The weather was very kind to us and, as can
be seen from the photographs, the visual
impact in the Town Centre was nothing
short of spectacular. Far more successful
than I could ever have hoped for and I
know each of the cartoon dream-team was
delighted with their stay here.
This is hopefully a ‘foot in the door’ and
the beginning of a regular event for our
cartoonists’ community. With proper
planning, successful sponsorship and
promotion I hope we can grow this into
an International Festival to promote our
often maligned and undervalued profession.
Here’s to the next successful year!
Bill Stott starts to tire of people coming up to him
and asking... ‘Ar yew Paul ‘Ardman den?’
www.thecartoonistsclub.com
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