ASSOCIATION HISTORY Part 2
2005 - Present 
The continuing story of the Cheriton and Morehall Carnival Association
Even in 2005 Cheriton Carnival Association was not forgotten. Ben and Karol were invited to take part in Dover's Mayor-making in recognition of all the hard work they had put into the communities of Folkestone and Dover. Siobhan was asked to become a reserve in the EuroRegion England team (as was her right as runner-up to Miss EuroKent and the reigning Miss EuroRegion Congeniality, eventually becoming a full England Team member, and also won a place in the Folkestone Court as a Senior Princess, along with Rhiannon, who was back for a second year as a Junior Princess. Siobhan then went on to win a EuroRegion Princess sash - the only English girl to make it into the top six.
And it wasn't just on the international beauty circuit that Siobhan was making an impression. Siobhan, along with Karol and Ben, became members of the brand-new Blackfish Theatre Academy in Dover in 2005. Unfortunately, Shiv was taken ill, but both Ben and Karol performed in the Academy's first production at the Roundhouse Theatre, Hood, the Musical, a musical version of the story of Robin Hood, brought up-to-date, with Karol as Anne, leader of the village women and Ben as one of the village children. The production was a huge smash, selling out for the last two nights of the four-night performance in December.
Ben and Karol weren't the only ones lighting up the local stage. 2003 Junior Princess, Natasha Durham won a place in the 2005 Marlowe Theatre Pantomime, starring Ryan Maloney from Neighbours and Sheila Ferguson from The Three Degrees. Also, Jenna-Marie and Danielle, along with Karol, Andy, and Ben, were all asked to take part in the 2005 Dover Pageant. Ben starred as Lord Nelson and a Tudor Prince, Karol was Queen Catherine of Aragon and a Flapper, Andy played one of the Discreet Gentlemen of the Harbour Board, Jenna was a Tudor Princess and Georgian Lady, while Danielle helped in the pre-publicity as a Tudor Princess at the Western Heights Open Day.
Ben was also a winner in the countywide Images of Kent Wildlife photo competition held by Leeds Castle;was runner-up in the KM Mercury/SeaBritain photo contest, and was the winner in the nationwide National Trust Capture the Coast photo contest; while Karol was third in the KOS/SeaBritain photo competition.
2005 also saw former members of the Cheriton Court, Ben Steele and Jenna-Marie Crellin, along with Fiona-Anne Rosser, take part in the Folkestone Classic Car Festival on the Leas.
In November, Karol's prize-winning photo of Ben and the tiger at London Zoo was selected to feature in an article written for the Guardian's Review magazine.
And, of course, this prize-winning and popular website was launched.
2006 started with the Dover Mercury printing a biography of Karol on their Mercury People page. It covered her work behind the camera lens as photographer, as well as Press and PR Officer for the Carnival Association. The article was prompted when Karol won the ISP's Outstanding Achievement in Amateur Photography Award as well as third place in the Kentish Stour photo contest.
February saw Siobhan and Karol asked to take part in the Blackfish Academy's first production of 2006, 'Talking Heads - An Evening of Monologues'. Siobhan performed her own monologue, D.I.V.O.R.C.E., while Karol took on three - Warning by Jenny Joseph, Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher and Lady Macbeth's Raven speech. The evening was a huge success.
In March Karol was delighted to learn that she had won a place on BBC Kent's Making It Project. She spent three days in the Tunbridge Wells studios making the South East Today programme, along with 13 other members of the public from Kent and Sussex. Karol duties included story research, musical clearance, scripts and autocue. She got to meet and work with all the BBC presenters and appeared on both the evening and late night news programmes on 13 March. As a result of her time with Making It, Karol was asked to audition for Bargain Hunt. She was successful, and spent the day filming at the Detling Antiques Fair on 23 April and finished filming at the Canterbury auctions on 1 July for the show.
For the the third year in a row, Siobhan won a place on the EuroRegion England team, which went on to win the EuroRegion Dance trophy for 2006/7. She also became the fourth girl in local carnival history to win both the Miss Cheriton and Miss Folkestone titles when she won the town crown on 26 March (which co-incidentally, was Karol's birthday, the first girl to do the double!)
She was joined in the Court by 2001 and 2002 Junior Cheriton Princess Megan McCormack, who won the title of Junior Miss Folkestone. Shiv also made her way through to the final ten of Miss News of the World, beating over 400 girls to get to the final stages. The final voting was thrown open to the readers of the paper and Shiv was delighted to learn she won third place - just 2% behind the eventual winner.
July was a busy time for two former members of the Association - For the first time in two years, Karol and Ben took part in a carnival, the DCAL Dover parade with the Blackfish Academy. Then the following week Ben and Karol enjoyed a successful run in The Blackfish Academy's production of Alice The Musical, which they had the principle roles of The March Hare and the Governess.
September saw Ben win the Environment Agency's photography contest in the wildlife section. Ben beat thousands of other entries (children and adults!) to win £100 Jessops voucher. His photo, entitled 'I Spy a Butterfly' is now on display in the Environment Agency's regional offices throughout the south east. And on the subject of photography, a selection of no less than SEVEN of Karol's photos made it through to the final of the Whitstable Improvement Trust's Postcard of Whitstable photo contest.
Karol was stunned to hear that she had won the contest, beating off hundreds of entries from local residents. Her picture was made into a postcard to go on sale during summer 2007. And there were more acting honours for Karol in October when she starred in the critically-acclaimed sequel to Talking Heads - 'Talking Heads 2' - performing no less than four monolgues: 'Passion Fish', 'The Pinata Perspective', 'Good Omens', and 'Bloody Poetry'. October also saw the long-awaited broadcast of Bargain Hunt!
October also saw the start of a very exciting two weeks for Siobhan, first winning the Miss Kent British Isles contest, followed by winning a place in the final seven of the Miss British Isles finals (missing out on a top three place by just one point). Then travelling over to Ypres for the Miss EuroRegion 2006 competition, where she was part of the prize-winning English Dance Team.
One month later Siobhan was delighted to learn that she had won the Kent Model of the Year 2006/7 title, and a place in the national finals in Liverpool. But the excitement didn't end there ... Siobhan then went on to win the UK Model of the Year 2006/7 title and a place in the European Model of the Year 2007 contest next year!
The end of October saw the first in a series of articles about members of the 1987 Cheriton Carnival Court, in the Folkestone Herald's 'The Way We Were' feature. The first article told the story of Princess Karol from 1987 to the present day. The second article was all about 1987 Junior Queen (who was also our 1990 Senior Queen) Luan Leigh.
At the end of November both Karol and Siobhan were involved in the filming for the Natalie Portman/Scarlett Johansson movie The Other Boleyn Girl, with Karol playing a noblewoman and Siobhan a peasant girl and a Lady-in-Waiting. And December was Ben and Tasha's month to shine as they took part in two theatre shows in Kent. Ben was a member of the Blackfish Academy's 'Rocky Panto' production, while Tasha took to the Marlowe stage in Cantebury for 'Jack and the Beanstalk'.
2007 started with Siobhan's assault on the Miss England title with her placement in the finals of FOUR regional heats - Miss ModelZed, Miss Goddess Hair, Miss Bridal Hair and Beauty (after storming through the talent round with the help of local musician, Richard Ansell), and Miss News of the World. She eventually won her place in the finals of Miss England when she won Miss News of the World - beating her 11 other rivals with 80% of the votes!
She also won a place into the finals of The Face of Divinity Models and the finals of Modelsearch 2007; she also gained a place onto the books of the internationally renowned modelling agency, Century Models of London and New York.
The Cheriton and Morehall Carnival Association has still not been forgotten in 2007 as Ben, Karol, Andy, and Siobhan (as UK Model of the Year) were invited to attend the Miss Invicta-Kent dinner dance in February, and Karol (as former Cheriton Chairman) was asked to judge the Miss Sandwich 2007 contest in March.
Ben will be taking part in the Blackfish Academy's summer production, We Will Rock You, at the Roundhouse Theatre. Meanwhile Karol took part in Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre Easter production, The Jungle Book, as an Indian Villager and one of the Jungle Chorus.
Shiv was involved in the Dover Straits earthquake drama in April, when the chimney of her house collapsed, forcing her family to find temporary accomodation. Shiv's house was heavily featured in the BBC's news coverage of the disaster. Undeterred by being unable to get to her belongings, Shiv continued her assault on the beauty and carnival competition world, winning the Senior Miss Invicta title. She was joined by 2003 Junior Princess Natasha who won the Junior Miss Invicta title.
Shiv also won a place in the Face of Maidstone 2007 contest - to vote for her text FACE07 SIOBHAN HUSTLER 040 to 81800.
Karol's postcard was finally launched in Whitstable, and she was asked to take part in the 2007 Whitstable Gazette photo contest to find the front cover of the Horsebridge centre's Autumn magazine.
And, who knows what the future may bring? See Latest News!













Copyright © 2006 Cheriton and Morehall CA. All Rights Reserved.
bravenet.com