THE intrepid residents of Harvington came out to play in the rain on Saturday, June 13 at the St. James’ Church Village Fete. The rain did stop eventually, but the tea and cakes in the Village Hall, and the Craft Marquee were popular during the showers. The entries in the Marquee showed the variety of hobbies and talents possessed by the residents of Harvington. There were floral displays, baking, photography, painting, handicrafts and children had their own categories which included designing a mask. There were also fascinating displays of lace making and the history of irons. Outside the stalls included all the usual refreshments, with the burgers at the barbecue supplied by Ellenden Farm Shop, a Pimms tent, Purity Ale, books, fruit and vegetables, honey, cakes, jewellery, plants and toys. The entertainment not only included the tombola stall, a coconut shy, and the raffle, but also several local singers who provided music through the ages. Several organisations were involved in running stalls including the Brownies, Guides and Pre-school, as well as St. James’ Church itself. This year there was also an opportunity to comment on the Neighbourhood Plan which is currently being prepared and when completed will shape and focus the development of Harvington until 2030. For further information on the Neighbourhood Plan follow the link at www.harvingtontrust.co.uk. Many thanks are due to all the people who gave their time and talents to make it such a great day, and provide an atmosphere which even the rain couldn’t dampen.

In June CAMEO Teas (Come And Meet Each Other) hosted Year 5 of Harvington First School. The regular members of CAMEO Teas and the pupils enjoyed sharing tea and cake and getting to know one another better. The afternoon was finished up with a quiz, the answers to which were scattered around the church. CAMEO Teas are looking forward to travelling to Harvington First School on Wednesday, July 1, when Year 5 will be the hosts for the afternoon.

The recent ‘dress up’ day at Harvington First School raised £147 for the Guide Dog charity that the school are supporting this year.

The Harvington Trust has received a grant from Awards for All, which will finance further work on the Jubilee Orchard, including installation of a height barrier at the car park entrance. This will allow visitors who can’t walk too far but who still enjoy a little gentle exercise to use the Orchard. Further information about the Jubilee Orchard can be found on www.harvingtontrust.co.uk.

Customers and visitors to the Golden Cross have raised £100 for the Harvington Youth Project, by guessing the number of jelly babies in a jar. The first winner, Ian Jervis, kindly donated the jar back so that the guessing could continue. The final winner was Luke Quatrini. Claire and Ian would like to thank the residents of Harvington for their patience and understanding during the recent kitchen refit and the refurbishing of the pub. The Harvington Youth Project continues to operate groups for 7+, 10+ and The Drop for 13+. All the groups have an entry fee of 50p, which has remained at the same price for about 10 years! Details of the groups can be found at harvington-youth.org.uk.

Coming up: The Golden Cross will be hosting an Armed Forces Day Celebration on Saturday, June 27. Afternoon Teas will be available on both Saturday and Sunday, and there will be a raffle, the proceeds of which will go to Help 4 Heroes. The raffle will be drawn at 6pm on Sunday, 28 June. Contact Claire 871900

The ‘Song Birds’ will meet in the Coach and Horses on Monday, June 29 from 8.30-10pm. Contact mike 871743 or Roland 870800.

The next meeting of the Ukulele Group will be in the Coach and Horses Function Room on Tuesday, June 30 between 6.30-8pm. Contact Mike 871743.

GILL THORNILEY