Riseley Village Fete
2011
THANK YOU!
Many many thanks to all who came to support the Fete on Saturday I6'h' and special thanks to all our helpers on the day, and in particular to the merry band of Fete 'water rats' who doggedly battled in stair rod conditions in the morning to set up the tents and Gazebos in the driving rain.
A strategy had been devised around a number of weather forecasts which suggested that the weather would break at Lunch time, - and it did...
Thanks to the Melchborne bikers (Merlin and ratty) we borrowed their 40 foot mega Gazebo, but it came without instructions...
However, fortunately, stalwarts Uncle Nigel and Uncle Andrew Gel! picked up the baton and grovelling about on their bellies in the mud, led the team in securing the framework and canopy and raised the beast upright in all its splendour. This enabled the key games to be set up under cover to generate a very useful amount of cash while avoiding a potential washout.
Meanwhile young Reg Towler and Rog the thatch got a grip with the Scout team volunteers and managed to raise the other Gazebos necessary to provide over for other important functions including PA, Raffle tent. First Aid etc.
The feisty gamble on the weather forecasts paid off, as at 1.30pm the skies cleared and the sun emerged as we had hoped for in readiness for opening at 2/00 pm I
The sun led to a pretty reasonable last minute turn out of several hundred people and meant that at the minimum we would cover our costs.
We were pleased The Oakley Hunt came along thanks to Karen and we also had a new turn in the arena with the Street Dancers who were somersaulting about all over the place. They were really good.
Although the event was limited, early indications are that we cleared, net of overheads, approx £900 which will be distributed back into village clubs.
Right let’s get to the thankyou's for the many who supported.
Firstly a very special thank you to young Laura Parsons, who we missed last year in the honours role, for dragging dad Mark out of the pub once again to help sell a host of Raffle tickets around the village. Lady Janet is very proud, as we all are.
Further thanks are extended to the hoys and girls manning the games stalls.
Young Bill Smith's 'Play your Cards Right' game was very ably manned by Lewis and his lovely young mum Pam, in spite of the fact that bits still kept falling off it. However Bill, who was in charge of procurement in his days with the MOD has promised to get up early in the afternoon next week, to try and procure working parts and re-build it for next time.
First timer Neil and his lovely wife Jo had full control of the Bash the Rat game, their punters despatching rats with style and efficiency to the 4 corners of the playing field; the Electric Shock Game, another one of Bill's contraptions with dubious power supply, was ably manned in a sharing capacity by Neil and young Wendy, while young Russell got to grips with the Darts in the Grass game.
The Fete Playboy, young Dutch Holland, used his magnificent drawing powers to summon all to his 'Spin the Wheel'game, which generated very useful income; amazingly, Dutch had hobbled in agony to his stand, having injured his foot in the week sliding off the bonnet of his car. Not sure what that was all about!
Young beauty Sarah Quinn, also rose to the challenge while hubby Tommy was lounging around in the beer tent. Sarah manned the Tin Can Alley game which Uncle Bill also just about built and on this occasion the equipment didn't fall over. Top lady Sarah did a very good job shouting and yelling for punter’s making almost as much noise and racket as she does when leading our Thursday night Skittle team from the front - goodstuff.
We need to mention Uncle Jim 'the ear ring' Lea once again, for continuing with the skilful management of the coconut Stall. Good bucks generated here....; young Buddha was the kingpin on the PA with music and banter and used some of the 'cutting edge' quips to entertain listeners, though one or two eyebrows have been raised.....
Got to mention our other key game maker young Tony Cerasale. Tony's recovering from his dizzy spells according to young Betty which now only occur on Tuesday nights when he is in the Fox. When Bill gets back from Spec savers he is going to ask Tony for some practical tips on game making.
Thanks also to Debbie, Liz, Thomas, William, Bev, Kevin, Mark C, Helen,
Dennis and boys, Jenny and Pete Scarecrows, Vicky and Alien, Vikki Raffle Tent, Ann gate, Wins ton, Scouts, David F bowls and Mike the bikes. Also thanks to Roger Gazebo, Sharpy and Sam for use of the B-B-Q and Dave T and Stuart for manning it, and Rose for beer carrying duties, and Lesley and Jean for supplying said beer.
Others to thank are all our Raffle Prize Sponsors including Andy Clifton, Tim Wilkinson, Jan & Lyn, Duncan and Nicky at DNS Stores, Melissa at WJH Motors the Caparco family; - apologies for miss spelling the name last time; the Coop at Sharnbrook and the Fordham Arms.
For others in the background & not mentioned, we thank for your support in the planning and particularly for the help on the day. Without you we could not put the event together.
Oh and very well done the Scarecrow builders. Kate and Wills won, but all were excellent Pictures on the Web Site courtesy of long retired John Clelland; good boy.
Roy mills
For Fete Committee