The Winwick annual fete returns next Sunday, July 3, after a two year absence …and the village invites everyone in The Giddings to come and join them for the afternoon.
Entry is free, and this will be a traditional village fete, with cake and plant stalls, raffle, easy and fun games for all ages from bowling to guess the weight.
Beer, teas and cakes
There will also be a bar with Barnwell Bitter in the barrel, plus wine and soft drinks, as well as teas and cakes.
BBQ
And there will be the famous Winwick bbq, complete with homemade desserts at pre covid prices…£10 for adults, £6 for children under 12.
Several people in the last week or so have asked me if we could start having Coffee Mornings again. I am very happy to do so, with some revision to take into account changed circumstances. I would suggest that we revert to holding them in the Village Hall, as we did originally. Several reasons; Covid is still with us and may increase after the summer and there is more space in the Village Hall and people, myself included, may be reluctant to host gatherings in their homes. Also, the Village Hall is a ‘neutral venue’ to which everybody can go.
What I propose is – Meet at the Village Hall on alternate Tuesdays at 10.30 to about noon, initially on 28th June and 12 th and 26th July, with no meeting in August as before. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be provided without charge but a voluntary contribution of £1 per person to go to Village Hall funds to cover electricity and so on. A couple of volunteers will be needed to assist if I am unable to attend. Keeping it simple and easily managed is important. Please pass information to others.
Come along for a fun afternoon on Sunday 5th June for Picnic and Pétanque.
The play is open to teams of two, aged 12 or over. Alternative games for the under 12s.
Bring a picnic, play pétanque, or just relax and spectate. A tasty barbecue and local beer will be available for a non-profit contribution and there’ll be prizes and a coveted trophy for the winning team!
Where: Pétanque Court, next to the allotments in the Jubilee Wood, Great Gidding
What time: You are welcome to set up your chair/gazebo/picnic spot from 1pm. Play will start at 2pm (weather permitting).
So bring your family and friends, a picnic, and your boules sets if you have them and are happy to share with others (wipes will be available).
Everybody is very welcome as either player or spectator.
What do you remember? Were you there for any of the many events that took place?
Did you know about the pig club, the dinner dances, the football club, the music society, the sports days, the village plan (the original one), the jazz club, the fruit and veg shows, the celebrations for the Queen’s silver jubilee, and of course the pantomimes (‘Oh yes I did,… Oh no you didn’t!’), to name just a few of the many community events that have taken place over the years.
Perhaps you were there, or would just like to know more about the history of the village if you’ve just moved in. If so, this display in the village hall will inform and bring back the memories through photographs, books and newspaper cuttings, programmes and original drafts of pantomimes, the fascinating photos of which must NOT be missed… (Oh yes they should, …Oh no they shouldn’t!)* and many other bits of memorabilia.
On both afternoons of Friday 3rd June and Saturday 4th from 2pm until 5pm, the village hall will be open for you to come and have a look. Enjoy a cup of tea and a cake as you walk around and reminisce…even if you weren’t in the village at the time it might bring back other memories of the reign of our queen for you.
We look forward to seeing you there and perhaps you can help us fill in any gaps in the history of the Giddings… This is not ‘just’ an exhibition, this is a part of the Giddings colourful history, and we hope you’ll come along and enjoy it.
*Apologies for the script writer getting carried away but that’s what reading too many pantomime scripts does to you………….’Oh no it doesn’t…!!’
The weekend of 11th & 12th June sees two musical events in St Michael’s Church.
‘Summer Music’ Firstly, on Saturday 11th June, there is a concert called ‘Summer Music’. We welcome back the St Peter’s Singers from Peterborough, who will be singing beautiful choral music from Handel, via folk songs, to Cole Porter. Their musical director, Jeremy Jepson, will also play a couple of organ pieces, The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 (purchased in advance) and £12 (available at the church door on the night). To purchase your tickets in advance, contact Sue Shepherd (tel: 293479) or email her (shepnsue@btinternet.com). Your ticket price includes a glass of wine and nibbles in the interval.
Please make sure you tell your friends!
‘Songs of Praise’ Then the next day (Sunday 12th), there is a ‘Songs of Praise’, starting at 4pm. This is the opportunity to sing your favourite hymns. and to learn something about the people who wrote these hymns.
If you have a favourite hymn you would like sung, then please contact Michael Keck (tel: 293357) or email (mpk357@hotmail.co.uk).
Community Coffee and Cake Sale In aid of Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (Disasters Emergency Committee) Saturday 23 rd April 10am – midday Village Hall Upton
Over the Jubilee Bank Holiday we would like to display any photographs/newspaper cuttings/certificates, in fact anything that reminds us of events that have happened in the Giddings, over the last 70 years……it may be pantos, various clubs, sporting activities, groups, societies, fetes, community picnics and dances to name just a few.
Have you anything that we could use and put on display? Please help us if you can by making sure any personal memorabilia you have is clearly identifiable with the date and event name and also clearly marked with your name and contact no. The cut off date for getting those memories out of the attic and over to us is the end of April so there’s not much time.
All will be brought together for the Jubilee Bank Holiday and displayed at the Village Hall for everyone to come along and share the memories….
This coming Saturday, 5th February, there will be a working party in the Jubilee Wood, to tidy up the recently trimmed shrubs and trees. Michael will be there from 9.30AM, come along with heavy duty gloves as the main activity will be to add to the “dead hedge” (a structure made of the trimmings/prunings, to create a habitat for wildlife – come and see or take a look at the video below).
In addition, thanks to donations to the Great Gidding Charity, fruit trees have been purchased to be planted in the remaining spaces in the Orchard. These fruit trees have Royal associated names and will be planted to mark the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne, and the start of her Platinum Jubilee Year. At 11.00AM, there will be a rest from the activity, bring along a flask (you choose the contents), there will be cake, and we will drink a toast to Her Majesty.
Please spread the word to your neighbours, and join us at 9.30 AM or 11.00 AM.
Huntingdonshire District Council are supporting East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice again this year and will be collecting real Christmas trees for recycling in the PE28 area on Saturday 15th January.
WHEN:This coming Saturday, 23rd October from 10.30AM
WHERE: in the Orchard at Jubilee Wood, so wear appropriate clothing and footwear for the weather
(if it is too wet/windy/cold we will relocate to the Village Hall)
Bring along your apples and pears for a morning of peeling/chopping/crushing and make fresh juice. You may want to bring along a seat/chair and a container to take juice home
Other activities are planned (weather and venue dependent).
If you have apples or pears to spare, and can’t attend on the day, please drop them off at Manor Site Farm/87 Main Street.
