SUMMER is soon approaching and that can only mean one thing – the return of Farnham Carnival.

And this year, organisers have launched a design a float competition to kick-start the event.

The Hedgehogs, Farnham’s own local charity, together with Farnham Lions are once again co-organising this year’s Farnham Carnival.

The theme this year is Fly Me to the Moon and it is hoped lots of local clubs, organisations and individuals will put on a great show for the carnival parade on Saturday, June 29.

The Hedgehogs have been helping the Lions run the carnival for around 20 years and back in the 60s and 70s used to create a float for the parade.

Times have changed though and the Hedgehogs membership now dedicate their time to organising and running the event rather than actively taking part.

Although designing and building a float for the parade is not a small task, the Hedgehogs would love to see what can be done by the local community in 2019 and so have created a competition to help, not only with money to help pay for items such as materials, but also with the loan of a suitable trailer and a vehicle to pull it.

The charity has teamed up with local IT support and services company Net Technical Solutions to help fund the prize pot for the competition.

On offer to the winner is £450, plus the loan of a twin axle 14 foot Ifor Williams flatbed trailer (on loan for approximately one month to allow the winner to build their float) and a Land Rover Defender to pull the float (supplied and driven by Surrey 4x4 Tours).

And possibly best of all, a trophy for ‘Best Locally Sponsored Float 2019’ will be awarded to the winning entry which the winners will keep for a year, before passing onto next year’s winners.

Any local Farnham based organisation, school, club, church or recognised group of individuals can enter the competition.

Competition entries should be in the form of a design – either written or drawn – explaining or showing what the concept will look like.

The design should be in keeping with the Farnham Carnival theme Fly Me to the Moon.

The design can promote an organisation, cause or club, but should also allow space for The Hedgehogs and Net Technical Solutions logos or banners.

Designs should be suitable for entrants to build – don’t design something that you can’t deliver!

The float will need to be manned, but don’t create a design with people on the float as no one can ride in the float during the carnival parade.

All float designs must follow the rules for the carnival, which can be found online at farnhamcarnival.org.uk.

Competition entries should be submitted to Gareth Jex at the Hedgehogs, by e-mailing [email protected] no later than April 23.

Entries will then be judged by the three judges – Gareth Jex, John Welch from the Hedgehogs and Ben Stupples from Net Technical Solutions – and a winner will be announced on May 3.

This will give the winning entrant just under two months to build their float.