Fairer than Fayre

Activities over the preceding weeks have today culminated in the Summer Fair at the Primary School, thanks in large part to a dedicated small team, supported by a good number of peripheral helpers such as myself. Beloved had agreed to take on the post of PTA Events Co-ordinator this year in the absence of any other volunteers. It is not fair to say that she was unwilling, but mindful of a certain young family member failing to master the art of sleeping all night almost without exception, she knew the demands of such a role on top of managing family life would be a stretch and such has proven to be the case. 

Notwithstanding this, it is testament to her and her supporters that the Fair was a resounding success and raised considerable funds for the school. I offered my support in securing free strawberries from a local grower. Having agreed to support the school by providing a number of trays of the delicious fruits, the owner had become most elusive and impossible to contact. So a visit to the nursery in person was called for and I willingly obliged. The reception on Friday afternoon was empty, so seeing this was going to yield very little, I ventured to a nearby greenhouse and bellowed into it. This yielded only the sound of my own voice in echo. Undeterred, I ventured around the corner where I found two gentlemen apparently enjoying a break over a cigarette, clearly challenged by talking in English but pointed me in the direction of a nearby caravan. 

'Rado' appeared at the door, relaxed in t-shirt, shorts and minion slippers, but nevertheless very much able and willing to assist. The owner would be unavailable for at least two weeks, as he was now full flow in preparations for marriage to happen on the day of our fair! Nevertheless, Will obligingly agreed that should I return on Saturday morning at 10:00, 20 or so trays of free strawberries would be ready for collection. I could do nothing more than thank them all profusely and hope that returning at the 11th hour before the start of the show would provide us with the required berries.

On the morning of the Fair, Beloved was directing preparations at the school, so with a car full of children and an empty boot, I drove the short distance to the nursery. Miss C observed on arrival that the sign announcing Strawberries 'Grown exclusively for Sainsbury' should now be modified to include for "Lawford Primary School'. We drove on as directed, past row upon row of greenhouse and through a small copse to the summer growing area, where I was pleased to find Rado again. True to their word, two trolleys each laden with 10 trays of strawberries were ready and waiting for us to take away. I feared that all this fruit would not fit into our boot. Rado advised against my suggestion that the children might have to sit with strawberries on their laps for the return journey with good humour: worried that they will eat them all! Once loaded, I thanked him with a shake of the hand and we arrived at the school in good time to have Strawberries prepared for the 11am opening.

My experience with Wallings Nursery taught me two things: 
1. That 20 trays will indeed fit in the boot of a Mondeo
2. Where there is a Will, there is a way especially when there is a Rado to help!

Here I am at the event itself in the quiet area feeding young Master H an early lunch of hot dog before completing my duties at the football tombola, my hope being that he would take his nap in the push chair while I was encouraging the sale of 25p tickets. The stall was a success in itself, enjoying a number of repeat customers requesting handfuls of tickets in exchange for PTA funds in the hope of winning those appealing footballs. We were one of the last stalls standing, the majority of the others having sold out, so became very popular. 

By the end, only a small number of tickets remained unsold and one yellow football. I was approached by a young boy and girl asking whether I might part with the remaining ball. I replied stating that I only give away footballs to girls and boys who ask nicely, whereupon the required politeness quickly ensued. What I failed to add, was that I only give away footballs to children I have a particular favour for. These two recently lost their mother and friend to Beloved through cancer and for this reason, no was not going to be heard passing from my lips in their direction today.