KNUTSFORD Promenades is set to be transformed thanks of £25,000 boost from Cheshire East Council (CEC).

The 2015 event will be bigger and better thanks to the sizeable grant, with large-scale puppetry, staged events, and professional performers in the pipeline.

Leader of CEC Michael Jones presented the money to promenades organisers during a visit to Bexton Primary School last week – and was joined by fervent supporter of the event Tatton MP George Osborne.

Cllr Jones said: “The Promenades in Knutsford provide a fantastic opportunity for people to enjoy our local culture and it’s absolutely right that Cheshire East should be supporting local communities in this way.”

Mr Osborne said it was ‘absolutely brilliant’ that the borough council has been able to find the money to support the event.

“It is a testament to the fact that Michael Jones and the council run a tight ship and they use taxpayers’ money really well and they have been able to find, from their surplus, money to support great local projects like Knutsford Promenades,” he said.

“I took my kids to see it a couple of years ago and it is fantastic. It brings to life the history of the town and some of the great characters who have lived in Knutsford and Cheshire.”

The 2015 event, on July 4, will have the theme ‘Texts from the Front’, using memories of Knutsford people who have direct experience of conflict and reconciliation in the Armed Forces or as peace keepers as its inspiration.

Knutsford Promenades organiser Sarah Flannery said: “With this funding we are going to be able to look at not just the number of people involved and the originality of the performance pieces but also the quality of the performance pieces themselves, to end up with an event that should be fantastically entertaining and thought provoking for the residents and visitors to Knutsford.

“We are really grateful to Cheshire East Council and, of course, George Osborne and many, many other people who have supported the whole promenades journey, because the thing that is different about the promenades is that this is an event which is rooted in the history, heritage and memories of local people.

“We bring local stories to life using local people and all of the local arts and organisations and heritage organisations and, of course, the other advantage for the funding for next year is that we are going to be able to have professional performers and arts practitioners imparting their skills to improve the performance skills of the whole Knutsford Promenades company.”