Scarecrow Competition – “Football World Cup 2026”!
Bring your football hero to life and join the fun at this year’s Crosspool Festival.
Everyone is welcome—residents, families, shops, and community groups. Create a scarecrow and display it from 26th June to 5th July
Entry costs £4 (cash) at Crosspool Pet Supplies, with proceeds supporting Festival charities. Pick up an entry form in‑store orDownload One From Here. Entry deadline: Thursday 26th June.
Make sure your scarecrow can be seen from the road. Judging runs until 3rd July, with winners revealed on Saturday 4th July. at the Crosspool Summer Fayre, CDYST Sports Venue, Coldwell Lane.
Fantastic prizes await, so get inventive and show us your best football‑themed creation. Don’t forget, keep your scarecrow sturdy and wildlife‑friendly.
Share your photos, send them to: crosspoolforum@gmail.com
CROSSPOOL SUMMER FESTIVAL SUNDAY STREET MARKET, 28 JUNE 2026:
Crosspool Festival Street market
Are you a proud Crosspudlian whose heart is warmed by the coming together of the community at the annual Selborne Road Street Market? Why not make certain that this event takes place in 2026 by volunteering? We’re sure that you’ll make friends and have fun in the process! Be part of the community by checking you are free on 28 June 2026 and, if available, sign up by 12December 2025 to help make the 2026 Market the most successful yet!
We are currently recruiting for the following roles:
Volunteers Volunteer(s) A to ensure the smooth setting up of the stalls (8am start~ Volunteer(s) B to assist in helping to direct traffic as stall holders leave (4pm start) Volunteer(s) C to assist with rubbish collection (12-4pm) Volunteer(s) D to act as stewards, helping with visitor queries, Lost & Found, First Aid etc. (12-4pm)
Time commitment will be limited to a 1-hour briefing meeting plus no more than a couple of hours on the day. And, if you fancy it, taking part in a ‘thank you’ get together after the event!
To find out what these vital roles involve, please contact Chris Batchelor (batchelor.cl@gmail.com) to decide whether to become a Crosspool Champion in as as many as you like.
Street Market Organiser
You will play a key role in coordinating the volunteers and tasks required to ensure the overall success of the event. Duties will include managing the volunteers, booking stall holders and allocating them to their pitches, ensuring that residents and shop owners are aware of the event date/time and that Selborne Road is legally and safely cordoned off. Full details are available from Chris Batchelor. Clear guidance and pro forma are also available, as is the support of previous organisers, to assist you in making Crosspool Street Market 2026 the best ever!
Applications, addressed to Chris Batchelor, should be received by 12 December 2025. We very much look forward to making your acquaintance.
The 2025 community scarecrow competition brought the countryside to our doorsteps with this year’s theme: “On the Farm.” From front gardens to schoolyards, a whimsical wave of straw-stuffed creations popped up across the neighbourhood, each one bursting with charm and imagination. Think mooing cows with cheeky grins, hens donning bonnets, and tractors made from wheelbarrows! The standard was sky-high, making the judges’ job delightfully difficult. With so much talent on display, every corner turned revealed another masterpiece. Hats off to all who took part—you turned Crosspool into a patchwork of playful rural magic!
After careful consideration scrutinising all the scarecrows entered, Rob & Jan at “Pet Supplies” chose the following winner and runners-up.
First Prize winner – “Clarkson and his Cow” Denbank Avenue, receives a certificate and a £25 voucher kindly donated by Green Cross Chemist, Crosspool.
First runner-up – “Henelope” Lydgate Hall Crescent, receives a certificate and a voucher for two fish & chip dinners kindly donated by the Crosspool Fish Bar, Crosspool.
Second runner-up – “Superhero farm to fork” Sandygate Road, receives a certificate and a £20 voucher kindly donated by Hudsons Kitchen, Crosspool.
On behalf of the community of Crosspool, we would like to take this opportunity to give a big” Thank You” to Jane Saxton and family for organising this year’s scarecrow competition, and also to express our gratitude to Rob & Jan for making the time in their busy diaries to support the Crosspool community by selecting this year’s winners.
Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s competition. The organisers hope that the variety of entertaining individual creations encourages everyone to enter next year’s competition.
After two days of enthusiastic public voting, the winning exhibits have been revealed! Thom from Cocker & Carr had the honour of announcing the results and generously sponsored all the prizes: £15 for each winner and £10 for the runners-up. You can admire all the shortlisted entries on display in the windows of Cocker & Carr (estate agents), pop by and take a look!
Art
Under 16s: – 1st prize. “Man with Guitar” by Daniel Lott. 2nd prize, “Women with Headgear” by Matthew Lott.
Adults: – 1st prize, “The Sportsmen, Crosspool” by Lynne Rossiter. 2nd prize, “Castleton” by Linda Glover.
Craft
Under 16s: – One entry and prize, “Crochet Animals” by Lauren Kirkland.
Adults: – 1st prize “St Ives Cushion” by Chloe Haines. 2nd prize “Needle Felted Fungi” by Amy Barrett.
Photography
Under 16s: – 1st prize, “Macro Jumping Spider” by Toby Jones. 2nd prize, “The Best Dog in the world” by Oliver Barrett.
Adults: – 1st prize, “Kestrel and Capture, Crookes Cemetery” by Eddie Sherwood. 2nd prize, “Tranquillity” by Eric Stevens.
The street market buzzed with life and colour, bursting with stalls offering everything from delicious food and homemade cakes to plants, crafts, jewellery, clothing, and books. Live entertainment added to the festive atmosphere, with music from the band,” C’est la Vie”, an energetic performance by “Shimmy School dancers”, and heartwarming songs from Lydgate Infant School children!
Visitors to the street market took the opportunity to admire this year’s wonderful Well Dressing at the top of Selborne Road, which remains on display until the end of this week!
Crosspool Festival Art, Craft & Photography Exhibition – Now Open!
Step inside St Columba’s Church to explore over 70 stunning exhibits, including 13 created by talented young people under 16.
Open today until 5pm and again tomorrow from 10am to 5pm.
Don’t miss the announcement of the public vote winners—happening at 4:45pm on Wednesday!
Enjoy live demonstrations of artistic techniques and craft skills throughout the exhibition. Plus, take a behind-the-scenes look at how 25 dedicated volunteers brought this year’s well dressing to life, captured in a special video on display.
The Crosspool Summer Fayre, this Saturday at the CDYST on Coldwell Lane, is shaping up to be a fantastic community celebration, with sunny skies forecast and plenty of outdoor fun in store
But even if the weather takes a cheeky turn, there’s no need to worry, this year’s event is ready for anything, with a wide range of indoor activities lined up to keep the atmosphere buzzing.
Thanks to thoughtful planning and a cheerful dose of Crosspool spirit, it’s the perfect chance for neighbours and friends to come together and enjoy the best of summer—whatever the weather may bring.
As part of this year’s Crosspool Festival, households & schools are decking out their front gardens & playgrounds with fabulous, funny, and farmyard-themed scarecrows for our much-loved competition.
Wander the streets, follow the trail, and see how many you can spot—there’s a straw-stuffed surprise around every corner!
Check out the list below to see where the fun begins.
Den Bank Charity Yard Sale & Carver Fields Picnic & Games
This Saturday 28th June, 10am–4pm
Follow the Map to discover bargains and treasure filled Yard Sales, then bring a blanket and settle in for a relaxing picnic with lawn games at Carver Fields. All in support of a cause that touches many, raising funds for Motor Neuron Disease research and care! Come browse, bring friends, and be part of something meaningful. Every item sold and every laugh shared helps make a difference. A fantastic community day, heartfelt and full of purpose.
Crosspool News - crosspool.info 