Cresting the hill.

Today was our village Children’s Gala. 
The weather was a big contrast to yesterday sadly and by the time I had spent two hours in the church marquee I was frozen!

As I left the house I could hear this Phoenix New Orleans Band as it set of from the top of the village but I got to the park gate just in time to see them cresting the rise in the road. They started earlier than usual as there was a Spitfire flyover scheduled for 2.00 pm. Sadly it was raining wherever it was coming from so it was called off. One thing we didn’t have today was rain.

This is a big event in the village year but has not happened for the last two because of Covid restrictions. It was debatable whether a parade would be allowed as the closing of the road has to be manned and supported by the police. In years gone by we used to have floats but health and safety and insurance issues have largely put paid to that. It seems that having fun is a serious business these days!

You can see the walking tableaux behind the band and a car carrying the Queen and her attendants. They was a drum band too so there was foot tapping beat on the field throughout the proceedings.
Chris did his usual stint taking money for the ‘fire engine’ ride.
As usual there were queues all afternoon for the tea tent but our Curate kindly went to get us pots of tea to warm us up.

In the extra you can see (centre) a picture of Grace when she was an attendant 32 years ago. Again as there hasn’t been an event for two years they have included the Queens and attendants from 10,20,30 and 40years ago from all three years.
This years Queen has had to wait two years too.

The two ladies walking with the babies group are Grace’s friends and the little boy being carried godparent for last Sunday.

They couldn’t be here today but will definitely come for the 50th next year. We hope that won’t be the last one but as with everything although we have an expanding village there are fewer and fewer people volunteering to help and those that do are getting older.