PENSIONER JOE’S ‘AWESOME’ AWARD

PENSIONER JOE FIELD has won an ‘awesome’ award – for his annual Christmas window displays.
 
Joe received his ‘certificate of awesomeness’ at the awards ceremony for Crystal Palace and Norwood Chamber of Commerce’s first Christmas window  competition in ‘recognition of his own annual display’  in Plumbase (formerly Bradleys) on Westow Hill.
While Joe didn’t carry off first prize he was praised by Mark Richardson, a former chamber chairman. “There’s this chap who spends hours and hours putting an awful lot of love and care and effort into this window. “It might be a plumbing shop but all the kids stop and stare. “This is why we thought we’d have a special award.”
Handing over his certificate on behalf of Crystal Palace Transition Town, Mr Richardson told Mr Field: “It’s a tremendous thing you’ve done for the village.”
Joe said: “I do it because I like to see the kids enjoy it – the mums and dads all come round. “I suppose I’m a big kid myself.”
The winner of the competition – where the theme was the 12 days of Christmas – was selected by Linda Barker of TV’s ‘Changing Rooms’ and ‘I’m a Celebrity….’  who chose Winkworth’s estate agents on Westow Hill for their 10 lords a leaping. The window display was designed by Tess Gibbs, who lives just off Gipsy Hill and who by day is a freelance opera director and choreographer – and a friend of Winkworth’s Crystal Palace boss Calum Mason, who has provided the Triangle with its own Christmas lights this year.
Said Tess: “I felt we had to do a design going over a building. “Because it would be in an estate agents I thought the most important thing was to link it to the business and try and be slightly witty and clever. “So I thought ‘lords leaping over the Houses of Parliament’ and the more eccentric methods they use the better.”
So the lords-a-leaping in Winkworth’s window are using a variety of objects including a frog, a kangaroo – and a space hopper.
(Stand a couple of feet away from the window to get the effect – but mind the road!). Runner up award went to Willie Smarts hairdressers on the corner of Westow Hill and Gipsy Hill.
The People’s Award went to the Braziliana cafe on Westow Hill with a quirky, amusing array of all 12 days of Christmas where you can find the partridge in the Christmas tree – and their 10 lord’s a leaping are pictures of martial arts moves – put inside bottles hanging on a wall which are tied up with pieces of rope.
The ceremony in Amphlett Lissimore’s offices on Westow Street heard that Linda had felt Braziliana’s efforts “absolutely fantastic” before watching a special video broadcast message from Linda who thanked people for taking part. “It’s amazing – I’m sorry there was only one winner” she said.
Chamber board member Ann-Marie Baptiste, who organised the competition, told guests that some people had said Linda hadn’t come to the Triangle – and that it was all a Chamber ruse. And the Chamber’s former chairman Frank Lissimore emphasised that Winkworth’s award had nothing to do with the Christmas lights – the winners were chosen by Linda.
After the event Ann-Marie said: It was a great night and huge thanks to everyone who got involved.  “As Linda said the Crystal Palace windows were fabulous so we are going to do it all again next year – bigger and better than ever!”

Tags: Crystal Palace and Norwood Chamber of Commerce, Crystal Palace Christmas lights, Linda Barker, Plumbase Crystal Palace, Winkworth estate agents Crystal Palace