The 14th August came around and the weather, unreliable of late had given us something to remember the day by. This was just one thing of many worthy memories.

The event was sponsored jointly by The Parish Council and The Benson Hall to celebrate the lifting of many of the lockdown restictions that have caused us to alter the daily freedoms we have always taken for granted. Many of us have missed so many of our friends and neighbours. Indeed some have given up going out altogether, unless absolutely necessary, even then wearing masks and covering our hands with sanitiser.

Our lives have been changed in a way that few would have deemed possible a yar ago. Indeed for some things the changes will stay with us for a long time yet. Masks will seem something perhaps normal when out in public for some time to come. But for today, we got a little bit of our old lives back. The shame is, for so many, some friends and family were victims to the virus and will never return. We will always miss them.

We had

• The smells of a hog roast wafting throughout the area.
• Beer and wine at the bar in the hall
• Vegetarian kookoo sabzi burgers and falofel filling the air with the scent of delightful spices from Persian Promise
• A fantastic and colourful display of salads, generously given by members of the community
• Music in the gazebo outside
• A VERY local honey stall provided by the bees of the village and by Councillor Julian Barlow
• A photo booth that was very popular, organised by Jay Drake
• A stall, selling a variety ornaments and gifts from Tony & Steve
• Local artist Annie Monk selling her art
• Wrapped up in an afternoon of friendship. Our thanks go to those who organised the event