Category Archives: Fulking Fair

Bobservation 23. FSC & FF+FD

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Boy throwing sponge at father, plus Bobservation 23 titleThe Fulking Social Committee has over the years raised quite a considerable amount for village facilities and social events. Indeed, we have just given £1,500 each to the North Town Field and the Village Hall Action Group. This has been done by a small number of very willing volunteers, but due principally to villagers moving away, the size of the Committee has reduced and we need some new blood. Indeed, two of us are getting pretty aged!

The Committee is a very mixed bunch so, whoever you are, you will not feel out of place and will be welcomed by all of us. Meetings are held on weekday evenings in the village hall about five times a year.

There are two main and regular annual events; the Fulking Fair and the Christmas party. In addition, we hold occasional other social events such as wine quizzes, lectures, slide shows and music by the younger villagers. New ideas are always welcomed. For more information, give me call on 271 or email bob.pamrowland@btinternet.com.

A very big thank you to all the villagers, their families and friends who made the 2016 Fulking Fair and Fun Day such a success. We raised £636 and the Shepherd & Dog very kindly gave a donation of £600 from their Call my Bluff evening. It is always dangerous to select specific items at the risk of disappointing others but here goes; I particularly want to thank the tea and cake ladies, their helpers, those who generously donated cakes, the road and car park marshals, the Street stallholders, the guys who laid out the stall places, the villagers who lent us the car parks and tractors and by no means least, the childrens’ games organizers.

Although it seems a long way ahead, please put Sunday 30th July 2017 in your diary for the next Fair. We have learnt a lot from the change of venue. To this end there’s Village Fair meeting in the Village Hall on Weds October 19th at 8pm.Your ideas are important if we are to get back our award of The Argus Community Event of the year.

Fulking Village Fair – Saturday 30th July 2016

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Fulking Fair 2013 PosterBob Rowland writes:-

The 2016 Fulking Fair and Fun Day, in its new venue, proved to be highly successful. In particular the villagers’ stalls along the Street on the way from car parking in Downside Meadow to The North Town Field were reckoned to be a great addition and so were the teas and cakes in the village hall.

A good variety of stalls displaying country crafts, tractors ,beverages and food were on show and the childrens’ games included the ever appreciated ‘Stocks’ for dads to get a soaking and the new addition of Bubble Pop which was a tremendous success.

Needless to say the new format gave rise to problems particularly with food and drink in the field but these will be improved to our usual standard by next year. Having said this the French Revolution Crepes wagon did sterling work.

Thanks so much to all the villagers who participated and to the stallholders and visitors who came. See you in 2017!

Bob

Click here for a selection of photos from Fulking Fair 2016

If you have any other photographs of this year’s fair that you would like to share then please email them to webmaster@fulking.net

Bobservation 21. Fulking Fair and Fun Day

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Purple Banner for Bobservation 21

We have had a good response to a plea for volunteers for Saturday 30th July but, as ever, there is still a need for various types of help:

The Teas Team are desperate for cakes!   Please ring Tricia (255) or Pam (271) with your promise of a donation (which can be homemade or shop bought, they won’t tell!) and to arrange delivery.  Even if you are bringing your cake on the day it is still important to let them know what you are bringing.  Teas will be served in and outside the village hall (weather permitting).

Tombola prizes of any type are much needed and can be delivered to Louise at 13 Clappers Lane or call her on 773.

Childrens’ Games.  Here Angela needs help in supervising the events which include Bouncy Castle, Stocks, Hook the Duck and Coconut Shy. Volunteers will have time to enjoy the other events but relief helpers would be very welcome. Please give Angela a call on 122.

Parking controllers are needed to direct the traffic to the parking in Downside Meadow, allocate spaces in the meadow and control traffic through the village. If you can help on this one give me a call on 271.
So, please:

  • Come to the fair on Saturday July 30th from 1pm till 5pm and make it a really successful day.
  • Come to Call my Bluff at the Shepherd & Dog at 7pm on Friday 29th July. Tickets from the pub are £15 each and include superior nibbles and ten, yes ten! wines to quandary over. Bring your own food and drink if you wish.
  • Be as helpful as you can to visitors from outside the village and remember this is a Fulking village and Shepherd & Dog combined event.
  • Be as cooperative as possible where traffic is concerned. There will almost certainly be some disruption in The Street due to pedestrians moving from Downside Meadow to the North Town Field. Nothing will be gained by getting upset or abusive.

Bobservation No 20

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Bobservation Banner - Fair from the 90s with effects

I do encourage you all to take on board this year’s Fair and Fun Day is on Saturday 30th July. The venue has changed and will now be in the North Town Field and Shepherd & Dog.

However, parking for visitors will be, as last year, in Downside Meadow and the public will be directed along the Street to the North Town Field and the pub.  Along the way we will be having teas and cakes at the Village Hall and garden. The usual country craft and food stalls and lots of childrens’ events will be in the North Town Field

It would create a happy village atmosphere if some stalls could be operated by villagers or their children/grandchildren in the front gardens in the Street. I would suggest this would be a good way for some of the younger villagers to make a bit of pocket money by selling craft or food or drinks they have made or selected.

This is a new direction for the fair its success can only be guaranteed by the input from the villagers (and the weather!!).

The next Social Committee meeting to discuss the Fair is in the Village Hall at 8pm on Wednesday 22nd June. All helpers are welcome. For further information, call 271.

Bobservation No.19

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Fulking Fair 2016

This year’s Fair will be held on Saturday 30th July organised by the Social Committee in co-operation with the Shepherd & Dog.
posterThere will be stalls in the North Town Field as well as demonstrations and plenty of childrens’ games. The fair will start at 1pm and continue until 5pm. Parking for the general public will be in Downside Meadow, the site of last year’s fair. The Shepherd & Dog will provide a marquee for live music, and food and drink will be available at the pub all day.

Obviously there will be some degree of traffic congestion in the Street but this will be alleviated by controllers at each end of the village. Quite a few pedestrians will probably be walking from Downside Meadow to the North Town Field and the pub, but every effort will be made to ensure safe transit for them.

I suggest that on the basis of ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ villagers should make a note in their diaries that there may be some disruption and avoid using their cars that afternoon and bring their families and friends to the fair and make it a really good village social event. The success of the fair depends largely on village input.

If you would like to get hands-on and help with the fair, we are holding a Social Committee meeting in the village hall to organise the day at 8pm on Thursday 19th May and you are most welcome to come along. Suggestions are carefully considered but remember we want doers not talkers.

Bobservation No. 17

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Bobservation_17

Village Organisations

Why do we have several different organisations in Fulking? Wouldn’t it be better to have just one?  The answer is that historically, residents prefer to volunteer for one or two causes and not the totality. So, here’s a guide to them:

The Parish Council consists of five councillors, elected for four years and who are in charge of the statutory and financial requirements of Fulking. There’s also a paid Parish Clerk. Funding is from the precept which is included in the Council Tax.

The North Town Field Trust exists to own and protect the North Town Field. Trustees are elected at a Parish Council meeting. The 4 or 5 trustees are appointed for life (or until they resign). They’re governed by the Trust Deed. In principle it has no income.

The Social Committee runs social events such as the Fulking Fair and the Christmas Party with a view to creating a happy and inclusive village atmosphere and raising money for village needs; perhaps tree work in the North Town Field or repairs to the village hall. Constitution on fulking.net.

The Village Hall Action Group was formed by concerned villagers to protect and maintain the Village Hall. Any villager can join. The principal source of income is donations from supporters.

The Book Nook raises funds for St Andrew’s church in Edburton and is held in the chapel attached to the village hall. It is run by church members and villagers.

There are of course various other happenings, run privately. These include Preston Nomads Cricket Club, foot beagles, games evenings, toddlers /coffee morning, craft and chat, mums’ night-out, book club, yoga classes etc. Most of the support for these is voluntary and unpaid.

Bobservation No. 10

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Fulking Fair BBQ in the rain

Not a Washout

I realize, because of omissions, it is a dangerous game thanking villagers for their contribution to a village event but here goes anyhow! This year’s fair was unlucky enough to have the worst weather we have seen for many years but in spite of this we had a really successful day, principally due to the following:

Harry and Charmayne for the use of their Downside Meadow which regrettably suffered due to vehicles damaging the turf.
David and Emily of the Shepherd & Dog for their very generous contribution of the splendid marquee which turned out to be the saviour of the day …and they ran the bar.

The marvellous team who handled stall booking, and pitches and directed them in atrocious conditions on the day.
The four guys and the “doll” for working miracles on the BBQ.
The ladies for managing so well with the Teas and Cakes.

Louise, Jay and George the Tombola stars for all their hard work and very successful takings.
Kev (honorary villager!) for organizing an afternoon of great music, without which we would have been lost, and for all those who performed so brilliantly for free.
To all the Social Committee for being such a great team, especially Darren, Lee and Nick.

To all the villagers who did something no matter how small to help!
The stallholders and demonstrators who turned up in spite of the weather.

Thank you all, you are the brilliant people who help make Fulking the fantastic village it is.  Even with weather like that, Fulking Fair is still the best in Sussex!