A group of 11 grandmothers (the ‘Grans who can’) are getting ready for their flower folding expertise to be filmed by Seven Sharp on Thursday (September 21).

They have been working on a Minions themed float for the past six months.

Spokesperson for the grans Laurie Paterson said they have created 60,000 crepe paper flowers for the 11.5 metre long trailer. 

“We did it for fun, not for any of this [media attention].”

Weather and flights permitting, the grans are going to have a Seven Sharp film crew visit them on Thursday morning (September 21). 

Laurie said the float is “practically finished” thanks to many hours of work by the grans, their husbands and friends.

Laurie and her husband Nigel moved back to Central five years ago. She said she remembers building floats together with her friend Glenys for Plunket “around a hundred” years ago. 

Laurie and friend Vyv Weller decided there weren’t enough floats and - with float numbers dropping - they were going to do something about it. 

Vyv Weller with a yellow section of the float. PHOTO: Supplied

Before ‘the grans’, Vyv made floats for the Girl Guides that were “held together with sticky tape”. Thankfully the minions' structure is more robust.

The grans group has grown from just Vyv and Laurie to include Laurie’s daughter's mother-in-law, her sister, her cousin, her sister's friend, several neighbours, various husbands - and on the parade day there will be 19 children on the float.

Laurie and Nigel have the float stored in their shed, so Laurie has hosted flower folding sessions for months.

“We do it for friendship, fun or the afternoon tea.

“What turns up, turns up. It’s a great way to catch up.”

There’s no formality, its friends folding flowers for around two hours and bringing what they can to enjoy with a cup of tea. 

Laurie said she’ll “whip up a sponge” if they need one.

Unlike when she worked on Plunket floats where she would be up folding flowers until midnight, the grans “wanted it to be all finished so [they] wouldn't be stressed.”

A glimpse of the Minions float. PHOTO: Supplied

There’s just one more thing to do. 

The trailer tyres need to be deflated, the trailer rolled out of the shed, (it’s too high to get through the shed door) then the tyres pumped up again to be moved in time for the parade.

Laurie said some husbands would be roped in for that, “even though they don’t know it yet.”

Pictured are (back, from left) Shirley Hiscock, Noriko Stewart, Chris Allan and Glenys Henderson. Front from left are Debbie Saxton, Barbara Price and Laurie Paterson.

PHOTO: Shannon Thomson/Alexandra Blossom Festival 

The grans’ previous float, Clifford the Big Red Dog, was a hit and won best floral float and the public vote last year.  

For more on the 66th festival see The Central App Blossom Festival button here.