30-09-2021

Macmillan this year

In memory of three great members

John Codling	Colin Mansbridge	Colin Babbs

What a day. The plan was to try and beat 2019's figure of £900, hopefully getting to the £1,000 mark. We didn't just hit the £1,000, we absolutely smashed it with a total of over £1,241.20 £1311.20. That could leave us with a problem for 2022, trying to better that is going to be hard so thinking caps on for next year on something different.

We had the use of the Great Barn again - if we do this again next year we are going to have to find a bigger venue. At one point we were discussing asking the earlier arrivals to leave but luckily everybody got on so well that we all fitted in, just. Still plenty of holes in the roof and big enough doors to keep the air circulating comfortably.

I am not sure if I actually managed to capture all of the Colin Mansbridge Challenge entries or indeed all of the Cakeophony entries. They just seemed to keep rolling in. As far as the Challenge went you have to have a slightly warped mind to turn a couple of these paddles into an elephant but Vince managed it with aplomb and walked off with the trophy made by JohnC. The Cakeophony was won by an iced cake made by Milton, our highly esteemed secretary showing some of the tools of our trade, once again brilliantly executed. If your entry is not in the pictures then please accept my apologies but there was so much happening that it was hard to keep up with everything.

Raffle prizes galore. Our immense thanks to all of those companies and individuals who contributed.

And the following who have all made donations to the raffle

As ever our thanks must go to ChrisH for all of the hard work that he put in - coaxing, wheedling, not too sure about blackmailing, local firms for their support, running round like a headless chicken collecting them all and all of the other little things that go to make a successful event, and of course who could forget the wonderful ladies Pauline Parker, Sue Hillyer-Kinch and Marianne Hewins for their sterling efforts behind the refreshments table.

It was honestly a fantastic event marred only by the thought of the three members who have died from cancer during the pandemic: John Codling, Colin Mansbridge and Colin Babb. That seemed to make the day even more poignant than previous events.

Click the image to step through the pictures.

Author: Chris Nixon