Harwell Feast

Following another wet Feast Day we are fund-raising  - again!

and..

 

 

May 2008

Once again we were let down by the weather. But, we didn’t let it beat us altogether this year.

The parade went ahead, led by the one cheerleader who braved the rain, Gaby Ireson. She was followed by the stalwarts of the fancy dress, Samuel Hawthorne (as Lewis Hamilton, complete with race car) and Hannah Hawthorne and Marise Girgis (cowboy and Indian later reunited with their horses in the Rec).

The May Queen, Sophie Talbot and her attendants, Alex Downes and Becky Shrimpton were hastily swapped from an open topped car to one with a roof. They looked beautiful (and so did the car).

Next came 6 fantastic floats - the Cubs and Beavers sportingly portraying The Olympics; the Fun Club with a magnificent galleon; The W.I. float went green complete with carrots, cucumbers and Adele the scarecrow; the stunning Village Tour Bus from Little Pippins; the very original Youth Fellowship float busy washing souls and the most apt Rainbows float sporting macs and umbrellas depicting the cancelled Feast of 2007.

After this came some shining examples of veteran cars and lovingly restored tractors. Finally, bringing up the rear was David Mobbs on a glorious steam engine. Well done everyone for smiling through the raindrops.

Despite our best efforts everything on the field had to be abandoned in the face of rain and wind. But a last minute relocation to the Village Hall and Freeman Hall meant that there was still some entertainment to be had.

There was a wonderful atmosphere as folks listened to The Bagg’s Tree Buskers, watched The Didcot & District Wood Turners on their lathes, cheered on the Harwell School Country Dancing Team and enjoyed Cream Teas. We even managed to squeeze in a bouncy castle and a kite workshop along with Farmer’s Market and village stalls.

RESULTS

Floats

1. Fun Club, Pirate Galleon
2. Little Pippins, Village Tour Bus
3. Harwell W.I., W.I. Goes Green

Fancy Dress 0 – 5 yrs

1. Samuel Hawthorne

Fancy Dress 6 – 11yrs

1. Hannah Hawthorne & Marise Girgis, Cowboy & Indian
2. Sarah McIlroy Speed, Weather Girl
   
3. Rosie Fishburn, Rapunzel

Bonny Baby

1. Isabelle Thorley
2. Jonty Williamson

Best Vintage Car

Trevor Dodd

Best Tractor

Derek Yates (pulling the Cubs & Beavers float)

Finally, thanks to all the villagers, tractor drivers, steam engine buffs and veteran car drivers who turned out to support us in the rain. We have already started to think about Feast Day 2009. Third time lucky I hope!

Janice Markey
Chairman, Harwell Feast Committee