Marple
Bridge
Association
Promoting the interests of people who live, work, shop, socialise, or have children at school in
Marple Bridge
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View along Town Street, from the bridge
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Since 1987 Marple Bridge has been holding a non-commercial Christmas Party known as Winter Wonderland, usually on the first Saturday in December. From humble beginnings, this has evolved over the years in to a fantastic family afternoon out, which attracts thousands of people to the village centre, whatever the weather.
The very successful ‘Bridge in Bloom’ campaign, organised and paid for by the Marple Bridge Association, puts flowers on the village centre lampposts, and in other containers and at other sites around the village including the Peace Garden. All this hard work has seen the village compete successfully in regional and national competitions, both in its own right and as part of Stockport’s winning entry in Britain in Bloom in 2005.
Marple Bridge is a very attractive, predominately stone built, village on the edge of the borough of Stockport. With its lovely stone cottages, scenic riverside walks, coffee shops, traditional and trendy pubs and other individual shops, the centre of the village is a Conservation Area.
About the Marple Bridge Association
The MBA’s main aim is to help Marple Bridge continue to be as attractive a place as possible, in which to live, trade, work, shop, eat, drink, or walk and ramble, by ensuring it continues to thrive as the centre of a vibrant local community.
About Marple Bridge
‘Bridge in Bloom’
Winter Wonderland
MBA Blog
The Marple Bridge Association Blog is where you will find more in depth news coverage of our latest events and projects.
Marple Bridge TV
Marple Bridge TV is the Marple Bridge Association’s own channel on You Tube, where you will find video clips and photo montages of recent and past events in the village, as well as media coverage of the Association’s activities.
Visit Marple Bridge
Marple Bridge is easily accessible, being just 5 ½ miles along the A626 from junction 27 of the M60, on the borders of Stockport, South Manchester, North Cheshire and the High Peak district of Derbyshire.
Contact Us
Despite awful weather Marple Bridge’s annual Winter Wonderland Christmas Fair was very well attended, as usual. Having had so much fine, dry weather in the weeks before, hopes were high amongst the organisers that the elements would be kind for the event, and they were during the Friday, whilst the stage and Santa’s Grotto were being erected.
Then, on the day, just before the parade started, the heavens opened up! However, the sudden downpour failed to dampen everyone’s spirits, and there was a rousing cheer as Snow Queen Patsy Sherrat, aged 9, was crowned, on the main stage, just after 1 pm. Patsy had been accompanied in the parade, on her way to her coronation, by Snow Princesses Isabella Fletcher-Orr, aged 7, and Jeanie Erskine who is 5 years old, as well as Father Christmas, who had presents for the children in his Grotto. Later, Snow Queen Patsy turned on the village’s Christmas Tree lights, just before Christmas carols, sung by Mellor Church Choir, brought the festivities to a close.
During the afternoon several thousand people came and enjoyed performances by the Pantonic All Stars Steel Band, Stockport Morris Men, the Mill Town Cloggies, and the Chapel Morris men, as well as sets by young performers from all four local Primary Schools. A wide range of goods and produce were on sale in the stalls along Town Street, and the ever popular children’s rides did a roaring trade, as did the various food outlets around the village.
As usual, Winter Wonderland, which is a non-commercial party organised by the Marple Bridge Association, was only able to take place because of the hard work put in, before, during, and after the day itself, by an ever growing army of volunteers. The MBA Committee would like to extend its very heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped, in whatever capacity, and would like to wish them, and you, A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year!
The Marple Bridge Association is a community body of like minded individuals, who are committed to maintaining and enhancing the environment of Marple Bridge; a very attractive, predominately stone built Pennine village, on the south-eastern edge of Greater Manchester.
These pages will tell you about our village, the ‘Bridge in Bloom’ floral displays, the annual Marple Bridge ‘Winter Wonderland’ Christmas Fair, other community events, and our many other projects and achievements.
The award-winning Marple Bridge Village Sign, painted by local artist Georgina Hargreaves; commissioned, paid for and erected by the Marple Bridge Association in 2010
Please note:
This web site and the associated blog are still being developed. Several pages are
not yet complete, and a couple of links may not yet be working.
Additional pages
will appear as time permits, and it is intended to have the site fully completed
as soon as possible.
If, in the meantime, you have any suggestions for things which could, or should, be included please contact:
Welcome to the Marple Bridge Association web site
MBA Meetings
MBA Meetings are relaxed and informal and held in the convivial surroundings of the Royal Scot public house. You would be made most welcome.
Next Meeting
Monday
January 9th,
at 8 pm
News and Photos
Summer hanging baskets in Town Street
Winter Wonderland 2011
A Great Day Despite The Weather
Morris Dancers waiting to perform at Marple Bridge Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland Raises Over £1700 For Next Summer’s Bridge in Bloom
Last year the MBA funded and supplied all the floral decorations in the village, due to Stockport Council’s decision to axe all floral displays throughout the borough, for the foreseeable future. So, the £1,700 raised by Winter Wonderland will be very welcome, as it will no doubt have to do the same again this year, if the village is to retain its now traditional floral displays.
Whilst prior to 2011 Stockport Council always supplied, erected and watered the hanging baskets on Town Street’s lampposts, it used to invoice around £1,400 of the cost (2010 figure) to the Marple Bridge Association. To raise this sum, the MBA has nowadays come to rely on Winter Wonderland and the Christmas Raffle Draw, as, unlike years ago, most local traders no longer contribute to the ‘pot’. Last year’s decision by Stockport Council meant that the MBA had to fund and supply the hanging baskets, as well as the floral displays in the ground level planters along the street.
The MBA would like to thank the owners of the following four local businesses that do so much throughout the year for the Marple Bridge Association: Sean and Barbara at the Post Office, Karl and Helen at the Royal Scot, Steve and Julie at Town Street Fryer, and Julie and Trevor of Village Bride.
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