Paws and Play 2022…we are BACK!

11 May 2022

Paws and Play, how we’ve missed you. The last two years have been tricky enough to navigate for us all – a great big day full of doggy fun and frolics would’ve helped tremendously! But we’re back, baby – and HOW!

May Day Dog Fest

May Day Bank Holiday Monday dawned clear and bright, which is always a good start. Who remembers the bitter cold and relentless rain of our inaugural event, back in 2016? Even the inauspicious conditions didn’t keep you all away though – and Paws in the Park has grown every year since. We knew this year would be big, and boy, was it ever! There were dogs everywhere – from perky poodle crosses to a couple clever collies, and tiny Chihuahuas to the greatest of Great Danes (our particular favourites were the Old English Sheepdog, Nelson and the Manchester Terrier)

With Kate, Jo and Paddy manning the registration queues, Wendy and Laura took charge in the ring – so between us, we managed to meet ALL the dogs. Perfect day or what?

The crowd at Paws & Play preparing to watch the dog show

Dogs’ Best Friends

Next to our I Love Communities stand, Mike, Ed and Ali of Bramhall Dog Groomers, our Top Dog Paws & Play Sponsors, were just as busy as every man and his dog popped in for grooming advice, tooth cleaning demos and to buy their dogs a treat. Further down, the Pet Blood Bank stand had their table groaning under the impressive weight of generous raffle prize donations from our lovely local businesses. From the raffle, nearly £500 was raised and they also had 7 new dog blood donor enquiries. The show ring was surrounded by an incredible array of local businesses, bars and catering establishments. With shelter provided by Stretch Tent Hire UK, our thousands of visitors certainly had plenty to choose from.

Two smiling pooches enjoying Paws & Play 2022

We’d Like to Thank…

Our judges, what a hard job!

* Cllr Adrian Nottingham – Mayor of Stockport
* Ed Mascarenhas – Ed’s Hair / Bramhall Dog Groomers
* Andrea Johnson – Prestige Pet Services
* Olivia Leathley – Biker Girl Dog Trainer
* Lee Crabtree – Zap Vehicle Charging
* Julie Pelzer-Vaughan – Julie Your Hypnotherapist
* Ale Solis – Bramhall Dog Groomers
* Roger Prydderch –Prydderch Financial Planning
* Linda Weekes – Bramhall Counsellor

The Mayor and Mayoress of Stockport, Ed from Ed’s Hair Bramhall, Andrea Johnson of Prestige Pet Services UK judging the dog show

A big thank you to our stall holders:

3rd Hazel Grove Scouts, Art By Jane, Baby J’s Rustic Food, Biker Girl Dog Trainer, Boo & Mi At Home, Bramhall & Woodford Rotary, Bramhall Dog Groomers, Cafelito, Cheshire Home Fragrance, CKD Art, Coco’z Wraps, Croydon & Co, Daisybank Nursery, Dog’s Trust, Ernie & Theo, Heart Fire Eastern Therapies, Holly Dwyer Photography, Kaye Cardell-Oliver Art, Leaf Organics UK, Mathnasium of Bramhall, Mountfield Rovers JFC, Mr Squidge’s Emporium, Mr Whippy Ice Cream, Chris Quinn- Not Just Travel, Nuggets Nibbles/Captains Cotton, Oscar Pet Foods, Pet Blood Bank UK, PolkaDot Parties Facepainters, Prevent Breast Cancer, Hamer’s Funfairs, Sinclair Law Solicitors, SooZoo Hydrotherapy Centre, Stockport Council Fostering Service, Stopford Cat Rescue, Stretch Tent Hire UK. Sweet Temptations Novelty Sweets, The Podiatry Hub, Zap Vehicle Charging

And a huge thank you to our generous sponsors for funding and prizes

Bramhall Dog Groomers
Prestige Pet Services UK
Notcutts Woodford Park
Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme Area Committee

An entrant in the ‘Amusing Attire’ category of the dog show

Thank you to the lovely businesses for having banner advertising around the arena

But the biggest thanks has to go to the people behind the scenes, without their help we simply couldn’t have put this event on.

The I Love Communities Team and Volunteers

The I Love Community Team: Wendy, Laura, Jo, Kate, Paddy, Hass, Eve, Lily, Olivia and the volunteers Julie Your Hypnotherapist, Hayley from Your Support Team and Adele, the boys from Bramhall High and especially Sarah and the team from 3rd Hazel Grove Scouts who worked tirelessly to help set up, shift, lift and even pick up litter from the very beginning to the very end of the day.

Luckily our first aider Jane wasn’t required! We are so grateful to the legend Phil Hamilton from Flip Sounds for the great music and P.A system and Cheadle Fire Service that popped along with the fire engine for a few hours.

Big thanks to Craige Barker and Vicky of Craige Barker Photography for being on-hand all day and taking hundreds of fabulous photos.

The entrants and their owners in the dog show

Dogs Days Forever

But perhaps, the biggest thanks of the day to the undoubted stars of the show – literally! Thank you, dogs, puppies, big dogs, diddy dogs, working dogs and toy dogs. Scruffy mutts and perfect pedigrees. We LOVE dogs and there really is no better way to spend a day than surrounded by dogs of all shapes, types, sizes, colours, breeds, and crossbreeds. If ONLY we could’ve given you ALL a rosette. As it goes, the winners (drum roll, please…) were as follows:

Delightful Dog
- 1st – Duncan & Cassius from Offerton
- 2nd – Claire & Moby from Cheadle
- 3rd – Danielle & Barclay from Bramhall
Performing Pooches
- 1st – Anatasia & Rocky from Bramhall
- 2nd – Abi & Alvu from Poynton
- 3rd – Ray & Willow from Hazel Grove
Tremendous Toy
- 1st – Michelle & Fletcher from Cheadle Hulme
- 2nd – Mia & Coco from Bramhall
- 3rd – Emma & Oscar from Bramhall
Perfect Pedigree
- 1st – Lucy & Molly from Bramhall
- 2nd – Helen & Burt from Davenport
- 3rd – Alison & Crystal from Cheadle Hulme
Amusing Attire
- 1st – Trianna & Macey from Woodsmoor
- 2nd – Mia & Coco from Bramhall
- 3rd – Eva & Stevie from Bramhall
Remarkable Rescue
- 1st – Heather & Tyson from Cheadle Hulme
- 2nd – Fisher & Milo from Bramhall
- 3rd – Grace & Sapphy from Bramhall
Gorgeous Goldie Oldie
- 1st – Taya & Silas from Bramhall
- 2nd – Michelle & Treacle from Edgeley
- 3rd – Hannah & Leo from Marple
Precious Puppy
- 1st – Phillipa & Daisy from Hazel Grove
- 2nd – Christy & Teddy from Bramhall
- 3rd – Lauren & Zelda from Stockport
Marvelous Mutt
- 1st – George & Rufus from Stockport
- 2nd – Laura & Jack from Poynton
- 3rd – Megan & Celyn from Bramhall

Kids Best Buddy
- 1st – Ameila & Bailey from Bramhall
- 2nd – Angela & Buddy from Bramhall
- 3rd – Zach & Hugo from Bramhall
Loveliest Lady
- 1st – Alice & Nyla from Bramhall
- 2nd – Layla & Lee from Bramhall
- 3rd – Tim & Coco from Bramhall

Our judges REALLY had their work cut out – and never moreso than when it came to crowning Best in Show:

Best in Show
- 1st – Alice & Nyla from Bramhall
- 2nd – Heather & Tyson from Cheadle Hulme
- 3rd – Trianna & Macey from Woodsmoor
  Best In Show

Thank Dog for Dogs!

We’ve thanked our stallholders, our sponsors, and of course the dogs of Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme, and beyond (quite far beyond, in some cases). Now, all that is left is to thank our wonderful volunteers, without whom we simply could stage this much-loved community event, so thank you. And thank YOU, for bringing us your dogs. They’re ALL winners, and we’re all the REAL winners for having them in our lives.

See you next year!