“For the Village by the Village”
70 years
The Show Will Go On…
Oh, what weather for our annual West End Village Show! As the Committee watched the weather front with trepidation in the lead-up to the Show, we hoped it wouldn’t be that bad. Unfortunately, it was. There were a few cancellations on Friday afternoon – including Dunk-the-Damsel sadly – and who could blame them?
Arriving at the marquee at 8am on Show day, the entries started pouring in and kept coming. The mood was upbeat – after all, shouldn’t we be used to the British weather by now? The marquee was buzzing, the exhibits were stunning; and it was filling up nicely with the best number of entries since 2019 (pre-COVID), which lifted our spirits. It was great to see adults and children becoming more involved in exhibiting. There were also many more entries from our novice allotment holders.
However, peeking out of the marquee, the green still looked rather empty, as the fairground rides and stallholders gradually started to arrive. One of the first, the wonderful Pan Bread stall moved position to shield from the driving rain and remained very positive. Other stallholders, also upbeat, were setting up but, regrettably, a small number decided not to come. Disappointingly, but understandably, this included the children’s sports due to be run by West End Playgroup.
Kingston Hospital Radio started early, playing cheery music that kept everyone entertained as the wonderful supporters began arriving suitably dressed for the elements. After a morning of judging, the marquee burst into life at 1.30pm and the general mood was fantastic. The exhibits were spectacular and we heard nothing but positivity.
Outside on the green, the Show continued. Books were bought, plates were smashed, the Elmbridge Ladies Choir sang beautifully in the driving rain and the Epsom & Ewell Silver Band played majestically. Matto the Clown found a dry corner in the marquee to entertain the children and the fabulous Fuller’s Dray Horse cart rides were busy all afternoon. The Dog Show was quieter than usual but carried on brilliantly – rain didn’t seem to bother the pooches. Arts & Crafts had a good afternoon enjoying the atmosphere and looking forward to returning next year. We need to mention everyone else on the green too – the stallholders, charities, food vendors and the magnificent classic cars’ display. The grand raffle was a huge success, selling many more tickets than last year. We are particularly grateful to the many raffle prize donors.
Presentation time – the sun shone! Derek Richardson presented the prizes and his son, Ian, auctioned the produce which had kindly been left by entrants. Huge thanks go to them for their support; and also to Home Cooking by Elizabeth for the Judges’ lunch; and to the many volunteers, friends and family who helped on the day.
We are very grateful to all our subscribers for their generous donations when we knock on doors running up to the Show. We say it every year but we wouldn’t be able to hire the marquee and all the Show’s necessities without these contributions. In conjunction with our sponsorship and advertising revenue, they make the Show possible. We are proud to be able to support local charities and good causes with any profit made on the day.
Finally, we would like to thank you – the villagers, friends, and visitors – for coming to the Show. Although our numbers were lower, we truly appreciated your visit. The atmosphere was electric, thanks to your enthusiasm and not letting the rain dampen spirits. It has shown us that there is strong support for our annual Show, and we will go on. Thank you, everyone. We look forward to seeing you again next year – come rain or shine!
Julia Iveson
Village Show Publicity
Article first published in the West End Village News, September 2024