The Anne Barette Award will be presented to the junior float (under 25-foot) with the best costumes, and has been donated by Mrs Barette’s family, who are all Battle enthusiasts.
‘Our whole family has been involved with the Battle for most of our lives,’ explained daughter Beverley Barette. ‘We all think it is a wonderful, community spirited event that happens each year in Jersey and that it is important to support it.
‘My Mum passed away in May last year and we thought this would be a nice tribute to her, as she had been involved with the Battle for so many years, so we gave my father, Keith Barette, the idea and he bought the award.
‘Although there has always been a best costume award for seniors, there isn’t one for juniors, so we thought this would encourage the juniors to make more of an effort. I’m sure this is something that my Mum would have approved of.’
Reflecting on her family’s long association with the annual parade, Beverley said: ‘My Mum used to be a member of the Jersey Young Farmers Club in her day and was often involved with their float. She often talked about her days in the club – reminiscing about the fact that the young ladies always had the night off before the Battle to get their beauty sleep.
‘Later, she always encouraged our family to be involved with the Battle and as a youngster we went along to help with the St Martin float.’
And Beverley said that the love of the Battle which they inherited from their mother has stayed with the family throughout their lives.
‘I went of to be involved with the Scouts float and then from 1998 until 2001 we entered our own family float, as the Barette Family and Friends,’ she said. ‘Mum used to come down to support us by making us all lunches and helping us to cut flowers.’
Although the family no longer enters their own float, Beverley has been chairman of the Trinity Battle of Flowers team for the past three years.
She added: ‘What my Mum really liked about the Battle was seeing all of the families getting on so well together, and just being a part of it. She would always go and watch the parade and she loved seeing all of her children and grandchildren playing a part in it.’
