Jubilee Events 2022
16th June 2022
Jubilee Fayre and Post Covid Music Event 2022
Over the last year a small group of villagers have worked with Myself and Naomi Wintour to create some magic in the village.
Following the covid pandemic and lockdown, it was decided that everyone needed to be able to come together and share good times once more.
Eynsford Parish Council and Farningham Parish Council contributed towards providing an experience for the residents. We were delighted when we were successful in getting a grant from the National Lottery fund to add to the ‘pot’. This resulted in us being able to explore more creative ways for people to enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend and Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne.
After all the hard work, Saturday 4th June started out drizzly and windy and it was felt after all the planning was it to be a washout?!! No!! by 11.00am, the skies were clearing with blue skies and sunshine which stayed with us all day and no rain, even into the evening! Fantastic!!!!
The Jubilee Fayre was opened with a short prayer from our local churches and saw over 1200 people attend with approximately 33 stalls providing information, goods, games and quizzes for people to join in and were run by local community groups, local businesses and activity groups. We had a BBQ selling Norman’s burgers and sausages run by Angela Brewer and Bruce Muckelt who worked so hard throughout the afternoon with a queue that never ceased until the very end! A tearoom with homemade cakes made by Eynsford and Farningham WI’s provided a welcome cup of tea and Mike Watling and Robin Steer-Smith thoroughly enjoyed running the alcohol and soft drinks area to quench thirsts!
Great entertainment was provided throughout the afternoon, masterly organised by our Master of Ceremonies, Geof Hillier from Riverside Players and included local groups Tots with Tempo, Riverside Youth Group, Turner’s Dance and Farningham Guitar Club. All were extremely well received. The Jubilee Mini Crufts brought lots of dogs to the arena and great fun was had by our judges, Elizabeth Wicken and Remi Russell in choosing pooches for the awards!
A raffle was run to raise money for Ukrainian charities with prizes from local businesses and thank you to all who bought tickets as we raised a magnificent £563.
The day did not end there. In the evening nearly 600 residents moved to Harrow Meadow where a music event was to celebrate the end of Covid with three bands to delight the crowds. Baggy Boys opened the event with old favourites, followed by Kings of Oblivion and ended with our headliner, Wrong Jovi completing what was a fabulous evening of music.
A pop-up bar and food vans provided much-needed sustenance. We enjoy our drink in the villages as the minimum spend we needed in the bar to receive a discount on the cost of the hire was reached in an hour and a half!!!!! Lol!!
The following people worked so hard throughout the year and contributed to the success of the day. Steve and Jane Lowe with Chris Lewington and Joel Schofield, who planned out the moat area so every stall had enough room, Angie and Martin Evans who ran the tombolas and games – the boozy tombola sold out very quickly!! Hmmm! A pattern forming here! Emma Stretton and English Heritage who provided the Castle Moat – what a great venue it was. Kirstie McMillan who helped plan both events with us and Julie Tait, Vince Robson, Peter and Karen Dawson and Katherine Barrett and Phil Hannaford whose invaluable help we could not have done without. Barry Smith helped transport all the equipment to the moat and Harrow Meadow and 1st Eynsford & Farningham Scouts provided the tentage and games that we used. We hope we didn’t forget anyone!
A truly fabulous day enjoyed by all! Thank you for coming along and supporting it!
Cllr Ferne Haxby and Clerk Naomi Wintour
