Images by Gemma Carter
COMMUNITY spirit was alive and kicking in Greenfield as Saddleworth Morris hosted a successful beer festival to celebrate surpassing its fundraising goal for the upcoming Rushcart Festival.
Held at Boarshurst Band Club on Saturday, August 10, the event marked a significant milestone for the local side.
In May, it issued a heartfelt appeal to the community as it hoped to raise the £3,000 needed for this year’s Rushcart.
The tradition, revived in 1974, has become a cornerstone of the area, attracting Morris teams from across the UK and beyond to celebrate the rush bearing.
And thanks to people’s generosity, the fundraising target was not only met but exceeded in record time.
The achievement was celebrated in style at the beer festival, which featured a selection of local and national ales from Phoenix Brewery.
Newly formed Saddleworth Women’s Morris and Clog entertained the crowds with their performance and have been invited to participate in the upcoming festivities.
Rushcart is scheduled for the weekend of August 24 and 25. On the Saturday, morris teams will pull the 13ft creation through Saddleworth’s villages, accompanied by lively folk music and dancing at various venues along the way.
The Sunday will see a continuation of the festivities with more dancing, a traditional service at Saddleworth St Chad’s Church in Uppermill and an afternoon of games and entertainment.
And this year holds special significance for Saddleworth Morris as they celebrate five decades of preserving and promoting morris dancing traditions.
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