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Monday 3rd
June 2002 - Henham's Celebrations |
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Pictures 4 |
| I maybe slightly biased,
but this day was one which I will always remember. More
importantly, I hope that we gave our children and
grandchildren an experience that
will stay with them for many a year. |
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| Firstly, I
really would like to give my sincere thanks to all the committee for their
hard work since 19th February when, at the first open
meeting, the idea of a Jubilee party was was first proposed,
namely, Jane Brinkley ('number 2'), Trevor Ellis- Callow,
Vanda Collins, Trevor Judd, Fiona Price, Helen Barrett, Dave
Matthews, Ted Wilsher, Rose and Tony Turner, Carol Eaton,
Bessie Hayden and Di Sammons.
Secondly, my appreciation goes to the village
groups and individuals who donated enough funds
and services to ensure that we achieved our objective, i.e.
that everything in the morning and
afternoon would be free. The groups included OSCA,
Henham Players, the Village Shop, the Parish Council, Henham Players, the Tennis
Club and Henham and Ugley School. We also had a quiz
that earned over £350. At the Post Office the
collection box on the counter received cash and a good number of
cheques.
Thirdly, a big thanks to all those people who just
appeared at the right time to put up bunting and a complete a myriad
of odd jobs with such enthusiasm. Lastly, to everybody
for turning up in droves and joining in the spirit of the
occasion. |
| It really was a day of
surprises. At 10.30am when the
children's entertainer, Silly Billy Blue Hat, was due to start at the village hall,
Di Sammons told me that only 3 children had appeared.
She looked a little concerned, but not as much as half an hour
later when over 100 had descended on her and she didn't have
enough balloons and sweets. |
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Ben Sammons was dispatched forthwith
to the village shop, (which was open and 'manned/womanned' to
cater for such last minute emergencies) to remedy the
situation. |
| Meanwhile, the bell ringers at St
Mary's were completing a 'quarter peal' which consisted of
1260 changes. I tried to take a picture of them in
action, but a notice on the door firmly restricted
admittance. It sounded beautiful and I am told took an
hour to complete. Well done to all. |
| Midday saw the beginning of the
celebrations in Crow Street outside OSCA. All sorts of
tents, and other constructions grew from goodness knows
where. Food and drink arrived by the
hundredweight. The road was closed and we were
off. |
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Bessie Hayden organised the fancy dress competition
for children with a theme of Kings and Queens throughout the
ages. The standard was so high that nobody envied the
judges, Lady Olive Hammett and Jill Smales in their task.
Eventually winners and runners up were announced and prizes
presented. (Everybody else received prizes as well.) |
| Time Machine, our band, then began a
superb session of music which was absolutely right for the
occasion. It also marked a very welcome return to the
village by Len Sparkes. |
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At 3.00pm. the highlight of the day arrived.
We first toasted Her Majesty and then our new village sign was unveiled by Mrs. Gladys
Parkin. It was one of those magic moments when the cord
was pulled and it came away minus the flag which resolutely
remained in place. This was almost inevitable despite
the best efforts to ensure it wouldn't. |
| The problem was immediately rectified
and our long awaited Millennium sign depicting St Mary's
Church surrounded by the Henham Dragon was revealed in all its
glory. |
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I think it is tremendous
and well worth the wait. Well done the Parish Council. |
| Cream teas were then served at St
Mary's and for those who had not had the opportunity before
came the chance to view the wonderful flower
decorations. Over two hundred people came along.
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| Also on offer was free ice-cream (kindly
dispensed and donated by Mark Radley, ably assisted by Tony
Barrett.) They apparently served over 600 cornets.
Many children appeared over and over again without any apparent
adverse effect. (Has anybody any pictures of Mark & Tony
please?) |
| As this was all going on, Fiona Price
and Isobel Brooks were organising a sports event that was more
complicated than the Olympics. I watched a couple of
events and children seemed to be rushing in droves down the
track doing all sorts of weird and wonderful things.
Isobel was disqualifying some contestants for alleged
infringements of the rules yet they all seemed to receive
prizes. (Any pictures of this part please?) |
| To cap it all the Red Arrows obliged
by over flying us twice. I apologise but I cannot
remember which committee member had responsibility for this
part of the programme. Well done anyway. |
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As we came towards the end of the
afternoon events all the straw bales outside OSCA seemed to spontaneously
fall apart, (helped a little bit by a hundred or so
children). |
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Most of us gravitated to this area and we
finished off by leaping and jumping about, completely out of
time with the band. |
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| An hour or so later the focus moved
to the village hall and until midnight we were entertained by
a great band, 'Jokers Wild' and Paul Donnelly as 'Fat Boy
Fat'. Paul gets better and better. |
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| Dave Matthews from The
Cock supplied the barbeque and bar and it is estimated that over
300 people danced the night away both inside and out. I
went home just after midnight and having turned on the
television to watch a little football, promising Jill I would
'be up in up in a minute', woke up again at 5.00am.
Oops. |
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At 10.00am the next
morning people just appeared again and within two hours Crow
Street, OSCA and the Village Hall had been cleaned and
returned to normal. James Pimblett re-baled the straw
and salvaged 17 bales out of the original 22. We
decided to leave the street decoration in place for a while
yet. Nobody could bring themselves to remove the flags
and bunting. We adjourned to The Cock for a de-brief. |
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Our heartiest
congratulations to Her Majesty our Queen in her Jubilee Year.
Henham Celebrated |
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| Bill Bates |
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