Pieces fall into place for Bideford’s first ever Jigsaw Festival

The first ever Bideford Jigsaw Puzzle Festival & Puzzle Making Competition was held at Bideford Pannier Market Hall on Sunday (October 5) and has been hailed a huge success.

Hundreds of puzzles were on display and the puzzle making competition attracted entries from the local area and as far afield as Bristol.

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The event was organised by the Jigsaw Puzzle Group for Bideford Town Council and promoted by Bideford Mayor Peter Lawrence, whose late father Stanley Lawrence was very keen on making jigsaw puzzles and the inspiration behind the event.

Above: The Bideford Jigsaw Festival had lots of puzzles to browse and buy.

The singles winner was James Nickells, who received the Stanley Cup, a medal and a Wentworth wooden puzzle. His time was clocked at two hours 14 minutes for making a Ravensburger 500 piece Jigsaw.

Above: The singles competition winner James Nickells who completed his puzzle in two hours and 14 minutes.

The pairs winners were Jordan and Bridget Holroyd, who received the Lawrence Cup, medals and Wentworth wooden puzzles. Their time was just over two hours 14 minutes for making a Ravensburger 1,000 piece Jigsaw.

Both winners have already committed to return next year to defend their titles, when the festival will be held over two days on Saturday and Sunday, October 10-11.

Above: Bideford Mayor Peter Lawrence presents the Lawrence Cup to the pairs competition winners.

Volunteers are already making puzzles and anyone interested in donating puzzles or making them should contact the Jigsaw Puzzle Group Facebook page.

More than £450 was raised on the day, which will go to the Mayor's charity for this year, The RainBo Music Trust. to promote music education in the three Bideford primary schools.

Above: Bideford Mayor Peter Lawrence with RainBo Music Trust trustees.

Whether it is for instruments, workshops or tuition the schools will be able to choose how they spend the money, as long as it promotes music among their pupils.

Pupils from Westcroft Primary School made large puzzle piece collages and donated some of their own puzzles.

Above: Puzzle collages created by Westcroft Primary School pupils.

More photos and information on the event and updates on next year's planned event are available at https://www.facebook.com/JigsawPuzzleGroup