AN OLD ice cream van is being converted into a Battle of Flowers float by a newly established group of volunteers – and they are looking for a space to get flowering.
This year’s scaled-down parade through St Helier may be unlike traditional proceedings, but that has not stopped one group of family and friends from doing their bit to keep the 123-year-old event alive.
VC Family and Friends, led by group name-inspiring Vicki Birch and Chris Lowndes, formed this year and is made up of twenty Battle lovers aged from six to seventy-one.
With fewer floats appearing along Victoria Avenue in recent years, Mr Lowndes – who served on the original events board from 2015 to 2022 – explained that after years of volunteering and building Parish floats, VC approached the new strategy group with plans to include something of their own.
Using a long-unused ice cream van rusting away in a family garden, the decision was made to repurpose the vehicle into a float, a process which Mr Lowndes so far described as a “rusty adventure.”
He said they are hoping to make the van road-ready once again by mid-July, but is calling on the public to find a space big enough to flower the twenty-two-foot float in time for the August parade – the schedule for which was eventually released earlier this month after it was previously cancelled due to serious financial deficits.
Having funded the works mostly themselves so far, including mechanics, sound systems, and communication technology, the group are also hosting fundraising events and hoping for corporate sponsorship to support the cost of their float project through to completion.
Without giving any clues away on the design, Mr Lowndes said the experience so far had been “challenging but incredibly rewarding”.
He said their goal is to inspire others to follow suit in forming new Battle groups “to guarantee the future of the beloved event”.
“Our goal is to bring a fresh and vibrant energy to the Battle of Flowers,” Mr Lowndes continued, “and to inspire others to join in the fun and tradition.”
“We believe Battle has a bright future,” he added. “It’s a cherished community tradition, and with continued support from the Government of Jersey and wider community, it can thrive for years to come.”
The alternative display will take place on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 August. Parade times are yet to be confirmed.
If you know of a space VC Family and Friends can use to flower their float, you can contact vcfamilyandfriends@hotmail.com.
