On behalf of the St Martin’s Guild Committee, thank you to everyone who helped with and came to the Fete on Bank Holiday Monday. Our particular thanks go to Mr and Mrs Georg von Opel who allowed us to use their fields and hold Garden Tours around Malverleys. Also, thank you to Mrs von Opel for officially opening the Fete.
Despite the thunderstorms and rain elsewhere in the country the Fete was blessed with good weather, and the crowds came pouring in. Entertainment was provided by the East Woodhay Silver Band and Farms2Ewe was a special attraction for younger visitors. In the Central Arena our ringmaster Simon Everard held Children’s Races and the Fun Family Dog Show with winners in the following categories: Waggiest Tail – Paris, Best Party Trick – Bertie, Looks most like its Owner – Scout. Prizes were donated by the National Animal Welfare Trust team in Great Shefford.
The Fete made over £11,000 on the day and so including donations and after expenses are taken out, the total was just over £15,000.
A huge thank you must go to Mat, Charlie and the team at Malverleys who did a wonderful job in helping us set-up the Fete, as well as running the Garden Tours.
Thanks to our site manager Graham Heald, to Donald Mackinnon and the wonderful Scouts from the 1st Wash Common Scout Group who managed the parking, to the gate keepers, James and Lucy d’Albuquerque, Hugh Cobbe and Gerard Renouf, and to the amazing tea ladies organised by Sarah Ede. This year we also had a Community Tent which featured the EW Flower Show, the EW W.I., the EW Local History Society and Neighbourcare; all promoting their activities. Thanks also to Liz Starbuck Greer and volunteers from St Martin’s School who ran the toy tent, Fi Coyne and Laura Hill and the Children’s Games, the Wheatman family and their beer tent, Anne Aston’s Granny’s Attic, the Godfrey family’s Ice Cream stall, Rhona Everard’s cake stall, Jonathan Hopson’s Books, the Wilsons’ Tombola, Sarah Porter’s wonderful plant stall, the Foxons’ Sausage Sizzle, and Jenny Sanders and Lisa King’s amazing raffle, as well as the many willing volunteers who put up the tents, manned the stalls and sideshows all afternoon, put it all away at the end of the day and still had the energy to gather at the Furze Bush for a final celebration!
Thank you everyone.
Sarah Leventhorpe