From Get Reading

Barbados and Friends Association bring a taste of the Caribbean to Broad Street

Colourful dancers put smiles on the faces of shoppers in Broad Street

Sunny Caribbean weather helped the celebrations for the 10th twinning anniversary of Reading and Speightstown.

Colourful dancers put smiles on the faces of shoppers in Broad Street and some of them could not stop themselves from joining in.

Even Reading’s mayor Councillor Marian Livingston did not hesitate when she was invited to take to the floor.

The party marking a decade of official links with the Barbadian town started in Reading’s main shopping street before moving on to the Broad Street Mall.

There the High Commissioner of Barbados Hugh Arthur presented Cllr Livingston with a wooden carving of a dolphin.

And with the brief formalities out of the way it was back to the dancing with the performers dressed in specially created feather costumes combining Britain’s red, white and blue with the yellow and blue of Barbados.

Mr Arthur said: “Literally we have brought a taste of Barbados to Reading. We’ve got Barbadian food, we’ve got Barbadian drink and we have got Barbadian dancing.

“Happily, somebody has arranged for good Barbadian weather as well.”

Cllr Livingston added: “It’s just such fun, full of colour and music and we had the dancers who are absolutely brilliant. The twinning arrangement is an important way of acknowledging the friendship with the people of Barbados and how much we owe them for what they have done in our community.”

Shoppers could also taste samples of traditional Barbadian food and buy favourites such as Calypso rum cake and Clayton’s cola tonic.

Norma Paris, one of the organisers, said; “People have had a nice flavour of what Barbados is about and our prayers have been answered with the weather.

“It’s been a beautiful day and I’m really pleased with the crowds who have turned up to support us.”

Barbados and Friends Association (Reading) will also be holding a free family fun day at Thameside Promenade between noon and 6pm on Saturday, July 20.

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http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/barbados-friends-association-bring-taste-4925921