The shone sun shone, everyone had a good time and the money rolled in!

It was a record for the Lyddington fete – around £5,000 was raised and everyone had a fantastic time!

The day’s events, raising money for Lyddington Parish Church, was blessed with wonderful weather. The village was teeming with people from all around Rutland and beyond.

Star of the show was a new item this year: a plant stall organised and run by the village and selling plants grown in the village (particularly by two stalwart gardeners- Pauline Kirby and Danny Parker). It made almost £1,000! (- with plants remaining for sale at the opening of Lyddington’s Secret Gardens on June 7/8th)

The superb display of vintage motorcycles and bicycles, collected together by Fred Evans and friends were, deservedly, a great crowd-puller. There were some amazing machines on display - and some very knowledgeable custodians to explain their finer parts!

The Country Market in the church was always full of shoppers – and those welcoming the cool temperature!– with people buying local yoghurts, jewellery, organic vegetables, sweets, cards, cakes, candles, cordials, clothes, items for the house and more!

The well-stocked tombolas all sold out – as did the homemade cakes, ice creams and bar – with people hastily dashing off to Uppingham to replenish bar and ice cream stocks! The raffle took more money than ever – over £800 – with many lovely prizes including hampers, meals in local restaurants and gift packages of beauty products.

The bar, barbecue and Tony The Olive Man all did a roaring trade – with Tony staying on selling his delicious crepes and waffles to go with the village hog roast in the evening . Almost 200 people sat around on the green till late talking, enjoying the excellent hog, supplied by Singlehurst and keeping the fete bar busy!

Skittles, bowls, welly wanging and soccer goal shooting took any spare energy that was left during the hot afternoon – with a couple from Langham, John and Anna Findlay proving themselves the champion Wangers!

The Sellicks’ lawn was transformed into a children’s play area with face painting, games, a tombola and then bouncy castles and a bucking bronco were set up for evening fun.

The church bells peeled out to open the fete and the Corby Silver Band then took over, playing excellent sessions all through the afternoon, entertaining everyone with their spirited playing. Uppingham Church of England School put on a fine display of maypole dancing and a small choir from Leighfield School provided a splendid choral interlude.

Rev Jane Baxter, priest in charge at Lyddington, who opened the fete, summed up the day:
“It was a wonderful village event. It was great seeing families and people of all ages enjoying the sunshine and raising so much money in support of St Andrew’s Church.”

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on 28th May 2008 in the Village Hall from 7.30pm onwards. All members of the Parish are welcome to attend. The Agenda has been published on the village notice boards and is in the calendar section of the website. Two summary reports have been made available here and on the noticeboards, and will be available at the meeting for review. If you have any questions, or items that you would like raised at the meeting, please contact the Parish Clerk or any member of the Council.

The May 2008 newsletter from the Parish Council is being distributed to households this week. A copy is available here.

A Village Questionnaire is being distributed this month: The Parish Council is looking to develop a plan of things we would like to improve in the village. To do this we would like your help. Your opinion is important to us and although we cannot guarantee to action all comments, we will use them in developing a plan of works. Please take the time to complete as mush of this questionnaire as possible. Your replies will be treated as confidential. We will publish our final plan of works on this website. The Parish Council has also just established a working group to address speeding in the village and we will report progress to you on this in a future village newsletter.

Please return your completed questionnaire by hand delivery to any one of the following addresses or by email to parishclerk@lyddingtonpc.org.uk ASAP:

• 15 Colley Rise
• The Manor House, 22 Main St
• 7 The Green
• 12 Main St
• 109 Main St
• Appletree Cottage, 89 Main St
• North Cottage, 48 Main St
• Jasmine Cottage, 105 Main St

Alternatively, if you are unable to return the questionnaire yourself, please ring 07919 326871 (the Parish Clerk) to arrange collection. Thank you.