Great Achievements and Lots of Fun

If we thought 2008 was busy, we hadn’t yet experienced 2009! January began with a Village Variety Show that I organised, as usual flying by the seat of my pants, and wondering how on earth I was going to get enough performers to fill the time, people to cook for the Community Supper, a band to play and someone to run a disco, let alone the technical aspects of the show, sound and lighting. A local band, The Riverside Jazz Band kindly agreed to play for us in return for a small donation, and the son of a villager agreed to run a late evening disco. As is usual in Woodgreen everyone pulled together to contribute what they could, and by 26th January, after a couple of chaotic rehearsals we were as ready as we were ever going to be. Everyone agreed it was a great weekend, not only the show, but the meal for 120 villagers, and the party that followed. As usual at these events, villagers met people they hadn’t previously known and it brought the whole community together. Everybody want to do another one of course, and there is plenty of talent to do it-so maybe in the Spring of 2011……….

The next fundraising event was an auction of promises held in Breamore Hall, along with a wine and local cheese as a guide to what to sell in the shop. Again everyone rallied around with varied promises including light aircraft flights, food, holidays,activities,services and much more, 36 lots in all. This evening raised over £6,000, and everyone enjoyed their promises for the rest of the year. Fundraising events such as Plant Sales, Car Boot and Jumble Sales, the Shop Draw, a donation from the Village Model Railway Show, a Pimms Party, amonst other things kept the building fund growing. Tookie’s Garden Party, an annual fundraising event in the village that we all look forward to every year, (popularly known as the never,never agin Garden Party) was held in aid of the Village Shop, raising £3000. The Hale and Woodgreen Horticultural Society, who hold a bienniale Open Garden’s event, held two Open Garden days, one in each village, raising over £5,000. The Christmas Bazaar again raised over £1,500.