2017 has been a year of highs and lows across Fenland – and it’s certainly been a busy one for our photographer Ian Carter, who has braved all weathers to capture the year on camera. Here are just some of the stories he has snapped along the way.
January began in soggy style for an engineering firm in Wisbech. A burst water main meant workers at Phoenix Engineering had to bale water out from puddles in their office in order to flush the toilet.
Anglian Water said they were “very sorry” for the delays that caused businesses to be without water for six days. Not a pleasant start to the year.
February saw the unwelcome arrival of Storm Doris, who wreaked havoc across Fenland.
High winds ripped out more than 10 trees across the region, brought a wall down on top of a car in Chatteris and blew a bus over at West Walton near Wisbech. The East of England Ambulance Service assessed 15 people at the scene, three of which were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with minor injuries.
Former managers and players returned to Wisbech Town in March for the club’s legends evening.
Dick Creasey, who resigned as manager earlier this season, hosted the event which saw Fenmen heroes Jackie Gallagher, Ian Benjamin and Roy McManus share stories from their careers to dozens of supporters.
“It was a brilliant evening with lots of laughter and reminiscing,” said chairman of Wisbech Town Supporters’ Club, Richard Meek.
Flowers filled Upwell’s Methodist Church for April, with the village’s annual festival proving to be a success again.
The church opened its doors for the popular festival which this year had the theme children’s books. There were around 20 displays and local people held an open gardens event. It was all organised to raise money to help the church’s roof fund.
Outwell waved goodbye to May and made a splash at its annual Raft Race. An estimated 1,000 people watched on from the riverbanks as teams of brave (and wet) rafters navigated the river – all in the name of charity.
The heat was turned up in Whittlesey in June – and not just because of the sunny weather. The town’s Fire Station was opened to the public to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The station’s on-call firefighters went through several drills and vintage fire engine Vivienne proved a hit again.
A splash of colour was brought to Wisbech in July with The Brinks’ Colour Run – a 5km challenge that saw runners caked in multi-coloured paint - before vintage steam vehicles rolled into March’s Market Place in August.
The East Anglian Children’s Hospices (EACH) got a big financial boost thanks to athletes taking on the Insane Terrain challenge in September, before Cadets lined the streets of Wisbech to celebrate the freedom of the town in October.
Chatteris hero George Clare, who leapt to the aid of soldiers in World War One, was honoured with a plaque in the town in November and young actors in Wisbech have been getting the town in the festive spirit this month thanks to RATZ’s production of Beauty and the Beast, which is running until December 31 at The Angles Theatre.
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