Ed Sheeran scarecrow takes centre stage at annual competition

Winner of the Wickham Market Scarecrow Festival, Worzel Gummidge Picture: Rachel Edge (Image: Archant)

The competition in Wickham Market has raised hundreds of pounds for the town’s Community First Responders who are on call to help residents before the emergency services arrive after a 999 call.

All of these responders are volunteers that have other jobs.

Over 30 families created weird and wacky figures that were then judged by MP for central Suffolk and North Ipswich Dr Dan Poulter on Saturday, November 3.

The competition cost £3 pounds to enter with all the money raised going to Wickham Market Community First Responders.

Sheryl Crow Picture: Rachel Edge (Image: Archant)

Liz Quickenden is a first responder and also helped organise the event.

She said: “This particular cause is incredibly important because the community first responders have to fund almost everything ourselves.

“ We get our Oxygen from Ipswich and materials to help with diabetes form the NHS but everything else we have to pay for ourselves. That includes our uniforms, our phones and our defibrillators.

“We are the first responders in our area. It is so important because ambulances take a little longer to get to us because the town is a little far out.

Bob the Pirate Picture: Rachel Edge (Image: Archant)

“So we either get a call or a text and we need to go straight away.

“We deal mostly with cardiac arrests but sometimes when we can only help by reassuring the families so that they feel a bit calmer.”

Prizes were given out to first, second and third place with a runner up also announced.

Mrs Quickenden continued: “Our winner was a brilliant scarecrow that was sat on the back of a sit-on lawn mower with another one sat behind him crushing apples for cider.

Shrek and Fiona starred at the Wickham Market Scarecrow Festival Picture: Rachel Edge (Image: Archant)

“We have had quite a few people coming to the town just to have a look at the scarecrows and next time more people will know about it and it will become more popular.

“This year has been so successful. We will definitely do it again.”

The second place prize was awarded to Cheryl Crow, a scarecrow holding a guitar which was made by the Divine, Long and Traynor families and third place went to Bob the Pirate which was made by. 5-year-old, Turner Calvesbert-Readen.

The prize winning war veteran at Wickham market Scarecrow Festival Picture: Rachel Edge (Image: Archant)

Second Place Bob the Pirate was made by 5-year-old Turner Calvesbert-Rearden Byline: Rachel Edge (Image: Archant)