The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
So many WI members took active roles in the preparation for the weekends festivities that I’m sure I’m going miss some names and activities, but here we go:
We have to give a massive ‘Thank You’ to the ‘Bunting Babes’ who, equipped with scissors, sewing machines and copious quantities of tea and coffee, got started several weeks before the event, cutting and sewing homemade bunting, which totalled a whopping 223 metres (just under 5 lengths of an Olympic swimming pool!)
So many WI members took active roles in the preparation for the weekends festivities that I’m sure I’m going miss some names and activities, but here we go:
We have to give a massive ‘Thank You’ to the ‘Bunting Babes’ who, equipped with scissors, sewing machines and copious quantities of tea and coffee, got started several weeks before the event, cutting and sewing homemade bunting, which totalled a whopping 223 metres (just under 5 lengths of an Olympic swimming pool!)
Workshops were organised at the village hall in a mass cutting out exercise, co-ordinated by Melissa, who then ran around the village at speeds she didn’t know she possessed, passing on cut-out triangles of purple fabric, bias binding and much needed moral support to those doing the sewing, with some burning the midnight oil to make sure enough was ready for the event.
Apart from Melissa, name checks go out to Carole who was even dreaming of bunting, having sewn so many (or perhaps having nightmares might have been a more accurate reflection), Julie, Jo, Frances, Georgie, Alex, Emma Louise, Sue, Mary, Carly and Tina.
However, this was not purely a WI mission as it involved other members of the village, including the late and very much missed, former WI member, Pauline Midgley, Tracey, Linda, Carol and Brenda and other names I’ve probably missed.
Apart from Melissa, name checks go out to Carole who was even dreaming of bunting, having sewn so many (or perhaps having nightmares might have been a more accurate reflection), Julie, Jo, Frances, Georgie, Alex, Emma Louise, Sue, Mary, Carly and Tina.
However, this was not purely a WI mission as it involved other members of the village, including the late and very much missed, former WI member, Pauline Midgley, Tracey, Linda, Carol and Brenda and other names I’ve probably missed.
It had been hoped that the bunting could be hung across the village, but with insufficient lampposts to secure it, it was decided to put most of it around the church railings instead, around the perimeter of the village hall, on planters around the village and any other suitable location they could find.
The bunting near the church was admired by those attending the church to see the stunning flower displays and the lighting of the beacon at The Tower and I’m sure I heard/saw Carole running around serving bubbly at the lighting of the beacon too.
Again, with some of the flower arrangements being created by WI ladies, including Carole who, clearly not content with dreaming about bunting, turned her hand to flower arranging too.
Again, with some of the flower arrangements being created by WI ladies, including Carole who, clearly not content with dreaming about bunting, turned her hand to flower arranging too.
It was agreed that there should be a ’Treasure Hunt’ for the village children and our very own Alex painted all these lovely stones for the children to find.
The ‘Dog Show’ was a huge hit, as so many people in the village own a dog, all brilliantly organised by WI member, Mary M, who deserves a massive thanks for keeping all those dogs under control not to mention their owners.
Tina organised a ‘Decorate a Crown’ event for children, for which Sue very kindly offered to help out by providing some crafting materials.
Barbara spent every waking hour busily running around the village with her trusty camera, taking photos of each and every activity, which, without her brilliant photographic skill I wouldn’t have been able to write this account.
Tarina very kindly organised a karaoke machine so that the village could sing, to their hearts were content, and to see whether we had a future super star within the village!
A very special mention should go to Ann who was kept busy in so many ways, in particular she was available to fulfil, should it be needed, the role of First Aider over all four days. Thankfully though, her expertise was not required.
Ann, Carole & Frances were kept busy making sandwiches for the Sunday event in the Village Hall, setting up and tidying afterwards too, with Alex helping by doing the balloons. Ann was also a valuable member of Jubilee committee.
No celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee would be complete without our very own Queen, and we were fortunate enough to have two queens, one being the daughter of our President, Sammie. The girls travelled around the village on a trailer on the back of an antique tractor, all dressed in their royal regalia, made all the more special as due to a last minute change in the weather, Sammie had to think on her feet with a costume change for her queen!
Tina organised a ‘Decorate a Crown’ event for children, for which Sue very kindly offered to help out by providing some crafting materials.
Barbara spent every waking hour busily running around the village with her trusty camera, taking photos of each and every activity, which, without her brilliant photographic skill I wouldn’t have been able to write this account.
Tarina very kindly organised a karaoke machine so that the village could sing, to their hearts were content, and to see whether we had a future super star within the village!
A very special mention should go to Ann who was kept busy in so many ways, in particular she was available to fulfil, should it be needed, the role of First Aider over all four days. Thankfully though, her expertise was not required.
Ann, Carole & Frances were kept busy making sandwiches for the Sunday event in the Village Hall, setting up and tidying afterwards too, with Alex helping by doing the balloons. Ann was also a valuable member of Jubilee committee.
No celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee would be complete without our very own Queen, and we were fortunate enough to have two queens, one being the daughter of our President, Sammie. The girls travelled around the village on a trailer on the back of an antique tractor, all dressed in their royal regalia, made all the more special as due to a last minute change in the weather, Sammie had to think on her feet with a costume change for her queen!
Whilst checking out the bunting and the flower arrangements, Tarina and I decided that our contribution to the event simply had to be the ‘cake sampling’ …. we sampled lots of cake at the church, just so that other members didn’t have to … in fact, we debated as to whether we should eat all the cakes, as it would be our moral duty to save members from themselves. How good are we, thinking of members all the time? 😊
But joking apart, so many of our members made major contributions to ensuring that the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was celebrated in style, here in South Kyme.
Everyone should rightly be extremely proud of themselves, and it just goes to show what women can achieve when put to the test and that we’re not all about ‘Jam and Jerusalem’ after all.
But joking apart, so many of our members made major contributions to ensuring that the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was celebrated in style, here in South Kyme.
Everyone should rightly be extremely proud of themselves, and it just goes to show what women can achieve when put to the test and that we’re not all about ‘Jam and Jerusalem’ after all.
Sarah Murden
19 June 2022
19 June 2022