Middlewich FAB Festival
At the Middlewich FAB festival, Middlewich MP and Inland Waterways Association Parliamentarian of the Year 2012, Fiona Bruce, presented a new award instituted in memory of Maureen Shaw who lived for many years at the Wardle Lock Cottage, Middlewich and who died recently.
The award, which will now be presented annually, is for the best dressed boat at the Festival. This year’s winner was a 100ft boat, Cactus, built in 1935 and owned by Henry Johnson.
Fiona said “It was a pleasure to talk to Henry and to discover that he was a particularly worthy recipient of this award since he was born and brought up on a narrowboat, worked for much of his life on the boats and Cactus is still a working boat today.”
Jonathan Williams, Town Clerk said “It is a nice touch to introduce this award in memory of Maureen and as a celebration of Middlewich and its canals. It was particularly appropriate that the award was presented by Fiona Bruce who is continually supportive of all Middlewich initiatives and herself the IWA Parliamentarian of the Year. We very much value her association with our town and hope it continues into the future.”
