Sunday 31 August 2008

Fund-raising Day

Picture taken by Our Lovely Lady Vicar!

What a day! We started with a Benefice Eucharist - attended by 30 + people, a lot for our little church. S0me were normal church-goers, some were Methodists from the village, some were visitors from round about and there was the odd Roman Catholic too. The singing was great and Jerusalem lifted the roof! I shall not comment on the sermon because I know that our lovely lady vicar has sussed me out and will, without doubt, read this!!! (I need emoticons on the blogs!)

From the church, we moved across the Village Green to the Women's Institute Hut for a fund-raising lunch. At first we thought that we were short on numbers but late on others arrived and we were washing up the odd plate to accommodate the last 'extras'. We fed 46 and there was much left over - not sure how many baskets! At £10 a head, there was a good take there, don't you agree? The really amazing thing was that by the time the last guest departed for the Garden Fête, the tables were clear and the washing up had been done by teams of volunteers.

The earlier part of the afternoon was dry. People rolled up from up and down the Tyne Valley, having seen an advert in the local paper, The Hexham Courant. Apparently it was raining heavily there about lunch time, so it was only dedicated garden lovers who turned out. However, trade in the Gazebo was brisk and cakes, books and bric-à-brac were snapped up, as well as raffle tickets. From there they graduated to the door-in-the-wall into the garden, where G was taking their entrance money. It gave me great pleasure that there were so many oohs and ahs to make all the hard work over many years really worth while. So often one enjoys one's garden in a solitary way and to share it with so many is absolutely indescribable. From there they moved on to the Conservatory and 'Cream Teas'. These were fab - I had one later. A home-made scone, with plenty of strawberry jam and lots of whipped cream and a welcome cup of tea.

For me it was lovely to see so many stangers enjoying our garden and amongst them unexpected friends/aquaintences.

That was not all though. After the guests had mostly disappeared, the really lovely people who proved themselves and earned endless brownie points, set to, to help with the clearing up. Now the gazebo is empty and will hopefully be able to dry out tomorrow. The Conservatory is back to normal. All the plants that were left have moved on to be ready for the Kirhwhelpington Fête.

AND - the takings are in the region of £1200, which means that the WI Hut Appeal and the Kirkheaton Church Rewiring Fund are both about £600 better off.

9 comments:

Cait O'Connor said...

Glad the day went so well Withy and the photo taken by your vicar is lovely.

CAMILLA said...

So pleased the day went well Withy, brilliant.!

Good takings I would say, all in good cause too.

The lady Vicar has taken a good photo Withy, love your house.

Now - Relax after all your hard earned work, you are entitled to a large glass of Sherry me thinks.

xx

Milla said...

well doneWithy (though scary to be outed!) SO glad that it went well for you, and seemingly thoroughly well deservec, your garden looks scrumptious.

Unknown said...

Oh wow Withy. What a fantastic day - all that hard work really did pay off. I'm so pleased for you. Your house and garden look beautiful.

I know Hexham very well and it's a lovely part of the world, which I still miss at times. A friend of mine used to live in the Hexham area too - not sure if she still does as sadly we lost touch some years ago.

Frances said...

Fabulous day has resulted from all of your wonderful planning.

Congratulations!

xo

Helen said...

Beautiful picture - and sounds as though you were lucky with the weather too - or did your lady Vicar have a word with Him "up there?!"

Pondside said...

Congratulations on a successful day, Withy! How awful to be outed - but if one must be outed, a lady vicar is the best case scenario!

judi/Gmj said...

Hello, found you via the Black Box widget. You are delightful! Coming to you from the Pacific Northwest. Washington state to be exact. Lovely garden and home.

Grouse said...

Lovely photo of a beautiful house and garden. Well done on the day- made up for being 'outed'?