Mayor celebrates New Year in style
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
07/01/2008
The Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Cllr Minnie Scott Russell, celebrated the New Year in style when she attended the 22nd annual New Year’s Day Parade on Tuesday.
The event, which started at Parliament Square and finished on Picadilly, featured more than 10,000 performers from around the world and was attended by more than half a million New Year’s revellers and most of the Mayors from the London Boroughs.
Cllr Scott Russell attended the event alongside the Albert and Friends Instant Circus who were invited as representatives of Hammersmith & Fulham. The circus exists to develop the creative potential of young people through practical engagement with circus and theatre arts.
It proved to be a particularly memorable day for the circus when it was given a special award of £1,000 for being one of the best parade entries. The £1,000 will go to the Mayor's charity, the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, which was set up to investigate depression in young people
The Mayor said: “The parade really did start the new year in wonderful fashion. It was a pleasure to attend such a vibrant event and to see so many people out on the streets. I am thrilled that the Albert and Friends Instant Circus won an award which was fully deserved for their enthusiasm on the day.”
Petrea Owens, General Manager of Albert and Friends Instant Circus added: "It was a very special day for the charity. The Circus began in the parks of Hammersmith & Fulham in 1983 and its members have travelled the world performing in Australia, America, China, France, Belgium, Slovenia and Germany."
