The plans for the 2011 Fete are almost complete, and we are very much looking forward to another enjoyable day. This is a large and well-attended Fete, with its roots in Medieval times, which takes over the whole of Yattendon village; the square is closed to traffic for the day, and the tithe barn and village hall are also full! There is always a mix of traditional events such as Punch and Judy Shows, Bouncy Castle, Coconut Shy, Tombola, Morris Dancers, a stilt-walker, the climbing wall, delicious Home Made Cakes and Preserves, with our own speciality, the Christmas Tree Throwing (Yattendon is famous for its Christmas Trees!) and many special attractions for the children – bouncy castle, face painting and tattoos, etc. There is always a super Raffle with many tempting prizes. New this year is the target golf, and Newbury Sound will be along for the first time also.
This year our music will again be provided by a Steel Band, the Fiesta Band from Prospect School in Reading. We shall also have our usual Cake Competition, where this year the theme will be Cakes from Around the World! Get to those cookbooks, or let your memory or imagination run riot. Call Sue Sansom on 01635 200185 any time before the Fete, or just bring the cake along on the day.
2010 was another sunny Fete day, reflected in the number of visitors and hence in our profits. Although our main aim on the day is to ensure everybody has a good time, there is also a charitable aim of providing for local charities, organisations and good causes and from the 2010 Fete we raised over £17000 for distribution. We hope for similar and a better result for 2011! – provided again that the sun shines upon us.
Entrance is only £2 for adults, £1 for concessions and children under 16 come in free! So come along and enjoy all the fun of the fete! Opening at 1pm on Monday 30th May.
Where the Money Goes
The Fete raises a huge amount of money each year, which is used to benefit the local charities we support.
Most of the money is passed to the Yattendon & Frilsham Sports & Social Trust, which provides funds for local village halls and churches and other special local projects. As well as regular grants to the three local churches and the two village halls, the Trust made grants in 2010 to the Yattendon Toddler Group, the Friends of Yattendon School, the Youth Football Club, and the Pensioners’ Christmas Party.
The Fete Committee has 15% to dispose of directly, and made 6 donations of £400 as follows:-
The Downland Day Centre is based in Compton, & provides day care service for the local elderly, who are collected in an adapted minibus and stimulated with activities (and fed!) during their 3 or 4 hour stay.
The Downland Volunteer Group is organised from the surgery in Compton, and uses volunteers and its own Handibus to help the local elderly and disabled with transport, shopping and simple jobs.
The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust was founded by his family after Charlie’s tragic death from suicide at the age of 28, and aims to not just increase public awareness of the nature, symptoms and dangers of depression, but reduce the stigma attached to mental illness.
The Pang Valley Countryside Project is part of a wider organisation whose aim is to enhance and protect the natural beauty of the Pang, Kennet and Lambourn valleys and to help people appreciate the countryside.
The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance is based at RAF Benson, near Wallingford, its value being to bring the benefits of rapid Paramedic intervention to a medical situation, and the helicopter has been in attendance a few times around the village in recent months, for accidents and illness.
The 1st Coldash Scouts are one of the nearest troops to Yattendon & Frilsham, and wanted to purchase some new camping equipment.
As was mentioned at the beginning, we rely upon so many helpers to organise and then manage this event on the day, but we can always do with more people. So if you feel like volunteering, please contact me. And a reminder of the date: Spring Bank Holiday Monday, 30th May 2011. A date for your diary!
Roger Sansom, Chairman, Fete Committee (01635 200185)
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