Bobservation No. 72: Fame & COVID

International Fame at Last!
I really never know whether any villager reads my monthly ramblings but it was a tremendous joy to be told by Becky Loveless that her colleague Hannah Clancy of Buffalo, NY, USA was a fan and indeed actually reads Bobservation each month. I have taken it upon myself to award the first International Honorary Fulking Villager to her. She was delighted to receive the honour and intends visiting Fulking when the Coronavirus eventually abates. It would be very interesting to know if any other supporters exist. Please let me know if you do. Subject to the most onerous investigations you may even qualify for a similar award!

Covid-19
This virus has pretty well put a stop to most social activities in the village. Observing distancing recommendations the ‘Whats app’ Quotation Friends and Community Skill Swap seem to have been successful. Some of us have got together 2 metres apart for a glass or two of wine simplified by the lack of rain and heatwave. In addition to these, yoga has continued in the North Town Field or via ‘Zoom’.  At present the possibility of holding a Christmas party looks remote. I have my fingers crossed for next year’s fair on Sunday 25 July. I notice the annual Henfield Fair is taking place but I cannot imagine how social distancing and wearing masks will be applied, as it happened the weather was terrible for the whole three days of the event! General opinion seems to be that another surge will happen in the autumn if not before and so I do implore all villagers not to let standards drop. Facemasks and social distancing do make a difference to the safety of our community.

Fulking Village Archives
The village archives have just received a programme of the Edburton and Fulking Garden Fete held on Wednesday June 26 1946. Lee Holden discovered it amongst some family papers, the connection being his grandmother who arranged ‘mimes and music’ by the Henfield players. The archives are currently in the care of Terry and Linda Harris who kindly look after them and are quite happy to make them available to villagers.