The winners of the Original Biscuit Bakers Heritage Gingerbread Trail Contest which took place at this year’s Ginger & Spice Festival in Market Drayton have been announced.
The family focused trail, including contest, took place from 9.45am until 4.30pm in and around the centre of Market Drayton & was a key event at this year’s festival.
The trail’s headline sponsor was the local gingerbread biscuit manufacturer, Original Biscuit Bakers, as well as over 40 local businesses who also took part in and sponsored the trail.
The trail event was free of charge to take part in for all festival goers and was dedicated to exploring the town’s heritage, shops and attractions as well as the local history. Each participating business and organisation was asked to dress a gingerbread character to the theme ‘Characters from Books’ and display at their business premises or shop window.
Families were asked to find all the gingerbread characters on the trail and judge their favourite.
The organisation with the most votes was declared the winner. This year, for balance and fairness, the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Byron Chapman, along with local children’s author and illustrator, Matt Buckingham,& sponsor Sarah Hopcroft, also judged their favourite gingerbread character together to choose another winner.
DEPUTY MAYOR’S WINNER
Judged by Deputy Mayor Councillor Byron Chapman, author and illustrator, Matt Buckingham & sponsor Sarah Hopcroft of the Original Biscuit Bakers.
Best Gingerbread Character: ‘Gruffalo’ by The Fields Kitchen
Runners up: ‘Hagrid’ by The Handsome House
Close Third: Queen of Hearts by Oxfam Market Drayton
CHILDREN’S CHOICE
Best Dressed Gingerbread Character: Hagrid at The Handsome House Barbers
Runner up: Bluey at Hart-to-Hart
To incentivise participation, a FREE prize draw also took place. For all those who completed the trail and answered a short heritage trail quiz they were entered into the trail and could win the following:
Adults prize: A hamper of goodies donated by the sponsors and traders at the Spicy Artisan Market
Children’s Prize: A children’s gingerbread and toy hamper
RESULTS
Adults prize Winner: Lauren Carey
Children’s Prize Winner: Olivia Venables (10 years)
Runner up: brothers – Samuel Carey (2 years), Isaac Carey (4 years) & Arthur Carey (6 years)
Commenting on their headline sponsorship of the heritage trail and contest Sales and Marketing Director of Original Biscuit Baker, Sarah Hopcroft, said:
“It was heartwarming to see how much effort and how many people embraced the idea of participating in this year’s Original Biscuit Bakers Heritage Gingerbread Trail Contest. The creativity standard was second to none and it encouraged fun and healthy competition between the businesses and organisations in the town. It was fantastic to support an integral part of the festival.”
Commenting on judging the contest Councillor Byron Chapman said:
“I have been to many Ginger and Spice festivals as a member of the public but never really walked around our Town to see all the Traders windows who took part in the Trail competition, believing that this was a competition for the children. Of course it is that, but residents are missing a real treat if they only give a glance to the ones they pass in their normal day to day business. This year I had the privilege to join the judges for this event and the creativity and quality of the displays was outstanding and extremely difficult to judge. This year I believe we had 41 entries. Very well done to all that participated.”
Commenting on judging the contest children’s contest, author and illustrator Matt Buckingham said:
“Whilst judging the event, I was amazed at the level of engagement from all businesses across the town, with a high level of creativity on display in many of the shop windows along the main streets. It was enjoyable to be a part of the judging team on the day, and I felt the great sense of pride in the community that this event brings.”
Commenting on being chosen as the Deputy Mayor’s Favourite, the owner of Fields Kitchen, Tracey Edwards, said:
“The Fields Kitchen are delighted to win this years ‘characters from books’ competition. Sue and Alex really enjoyed thinking of the Gruffalo idea and bringing it to life! We were glad the judges liked it too! The window display had received lots of lovely comments prior to the event and all of the gingerbread characters around town had became a real talking point. So glad the day proved a great success for Market Drayton as a town and all credit to the Ginger and Spice Festival Team.”
Commenting on being chosen as the children’s Favourite gingerbread character, Owner of the Handsome House Barbers, Clare Rose Walker, said:
“A massive shout out to the team at The Ginger & Spice Festival creating such a unique and powerful event for our lovely little town of Market Drayton! I loved getting involved with the Gingerbread trail so much, I don’t know who enjoyed it more, the children or myself?”
“A chance to bring out my artsy side creating something different other than hairstyles for my wonderful clients was something I’ll truly look forward to again over the next 12 months! The highlight of the day for me was hearing the excitement from the little ones as they ran up to the window display, cheering “Harry Potter”, “Look it’s Hagrid” and hearing the cogs in their minds and the eagerness to find “The Golden Snitch”.
“I felt honoured to have been a part of such a wonderful event created by two very hard-working women in our town and it felt extremely wholesome to live here, we’re very lucky! Thank you to everyone who voted for my window display, I’m super proud, let’s see what next year will be but for now I’ll morph my windows from Harry Potter into Halloween!”
Commenting on being picked in the free prize draw adults prize, Lauren Flecther said:
“We visited with some relatives (their first time seeing the town) and they thought it was lovely how the town came together for the event. We have only been here a couple of years and love the community feeling these events create. The festival was lots of fun – the boys loved pointing out the gingerbread men and doing the library in the quiz. It was a really great atmosphere and we loved seeing Market Drayton so busy and full of life. You could clearly see how much time and effort had gone into organising the event which was a great success in spite of the weather, which didn’t dampen spirits.”
Commenting on being picked in the free prize draw children’s prize, Olivia Venables said:
“I really enjoyed this year’s Ginger & Spice Festival, especially seeing the community of Market Drayton coming together, I especially enjoyed the Original Biscuit Bakers Gingerbread Heritage Trail and seeing all the wonderful gingerbread designs in the shop windows.”
The award-winning Ginger and Spice Festival, based in Market Drayton, North Shropshire, took place on Saturday 30th September 2023 during British Food Fortnight & saw record numbers in attendance with local people coming out in their thousands.
Next year’s Ginger & Spice Festival will take place on and around Saturday 28th September 2024.
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