CLUBS AND SOCIETIES: Ilminster Majorettes twirling towards first performances

THE newly-formed Ilminster Majorettes are getting ready for their opening public performances – just a few months after getting started.

The troupe is the brainchild of Emily Langhorn who used to be a member of the old Ilminster Dazzling Sapphires group which folded around ten years ago.

Now Emily has set up Ilminster Majorettes along with the support of treasurer Zane Gambling and helpers and is delighted at the enthusiasm being shown by the members.

An initial meeting was held at the end of November last year at the Shrubbery Hotel and 30 signed up there and then.

The troupe is now nearing 40 young people – the vast majority of whom have never been in the majorettes before.

“It’s great for Ilminster to have its own majorettes again,” said Emily. “Virtually everyone is completely new to this and so we’ve had to start from scratch.

“But I’ve been delighted with how everything is going and the children are really enthusiastic.”

Emily said that the main objective for the group at the moment is to be able to go out and represent Ilminster with the vast majority of the members all coming from the town.

She does not want Ilminster Majorettes to be too competitive just yet, but there is no doubt that one day in the future she would like to be claiming bragging rights over other local majorette troupes such as the Trojan Twirlers at Ilton, the Merriott Silhouettes and the Chard Goldstars.

The main thing for the Ilminster Majorettes at the moment, however, is to have fun and to get out and about as well as achieving personal goals and promoting healthy living.

The troupe’s first public performances will be at the Ilminster Midsummer Experience in early June and then the Ilminster Lions’ annual summer fete on June 27, 2015.

The Ilminster Majorettes are also planning on taking part in the South Petherton Carnival in September and then the Ilminster Carnival in October.

The troupe meets every Wednesday evening at the Ile Youth Centre in Frog Lane, Ilminster, where the members are beginning to learn the routines.

The enthusiasm among the troupe is running wild at the moment, but it is unclear as to who is looking forward to performing the most – Emily or the majorettes themselves!

The future looks bright for the Ilminster Majorettes.

PHOTOS: The Ilminster Majorettes will be performing to the public for the first time in June 2015.

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