April 26th Guj’rat Indian Evening

The photos show a beautifully dressed village hall for an evening packed with fun – of dancers in beautiful costumes showing how it should be done, and lots of attempts to copy how it should be done! We understand the food was amazing, too.

April 30th Salvation Army Concert

A packed village hall for the band and songsters – a wonderful evening, followed by a fantastic array of cakes. Lots of photos here.

June 21st Midsummer Madness

A large number of Drinkstone folk ranging from youngsters under 8 to oldies over 70 gathered together to put on a fine and varied show, displaying instrumental talents on piano, guitar, harmonica, cello and violin with some fine singing, too. We had group performances, solos and duos – there was even an impromptu group of backing dancers/singers! An enthusiastic audience helped things along very well, the whole evening raising £375  for All Saints Fabric Fund. What a talented and generous community we have in Drinkstone! Check out the photos here.

August 23rd  Village Fete

Report can be found here. Photos thin on the ground this year – if anyone has any we can use, please contact us!

October 3rd Harvest Supper

There was a very happy gathering in the Village Hall, enjoying the first Harvest Supper since the fire that put paid to the old hall, marked by it being the final supper that Cora would arrange. She was stepping down after 30 years for a well earned rest. Thanks were extended to her for arranging the supper over the years and the occasion was marked with a gift and flowers, presented by Ruth.

It was a particular pleasure to see a number of new residents among the 60 or so who enjoyed succulent turkey and ham with various salads, followed by delicious fruit crumbles.

Occasions like this are usually a team effort, and a big thank you to all the people who helped set up the hall, prepare and serve the food and then clear away again afterwards, with a special mention for Carol Robinson, who worked incredibly hard in the kitchen, as always. Photos here.

October 11th Drinkstone Fun Quiz

Eight teams competed for the trophy in the Village Quiz on 13th October. In a hard fought battle that went right to the final round, the winning team was ‘Know It All Nuffinks’, just a couple of points clear of their nearest rivals ‘Blacksmith’s Corner’ and ‘K9’.

A fun time was had by all and Edna’s interval refreshments were as well received as ever.  Together with the proceeds from the raffle and Robin’s game of Heads and Tails, the event raised £245 for Village Hall funds; an excellent result.  Thanks to everyone that attended and contributed in any way and see you all again next year.

November 15th Drinkstone Race Night

The going was good when all the fun of the racetrack came to Drinkstone Village Hall for a ‘Race Night Supper’ on 15th November. 63 punters, a sell-out crowd, packed the grandstand for an exciting card of both jump and flat races, 9 in all. These brought the customary range of race-day emotions ~ joy, disappointment, frustration, elation ~ with the winning nags sporting such names as Sue’s Folly, Red Rump, Lord Snooty, Busted ….. Dramas were played out in classic races, such as the Drinkstone Derby, the Felsham Fillies Chase and the Prix de l’Arc de Bury. Everyone enjoyed the delicious fish and chip supper delivered piping-hot from Bury, despite swirling mist en route.

I’m pleased to report that no horses or jockeys were injured in the making of the films and nobody left the Hall shirtless – in fact there were a few ‘winners’ among the departing throng. The real winner, though, was the funds of Drinkstone Village Hall:  £310+ to the good.