This year’s fair was a perfect example of the saying, “many hands make light work.” The committee was greatly aided by a record number of local volunteers who helped with the setup on Friday afternoon, the clear-up on Sunday, and of course, the event itself. Thank you so much for your continued support — the fair quite literally couldn’t happen without it.

Given the summer so far, we were a bit unlucky with the weather on the day. That said, it wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the gloomier weather apps had predicted.

We had over 40 stalls this year, administered by Ian Oliver. The usual early-morning chaos was deftly managed by Bob Laverty and Andy Millard, both sporting their “spot me quick” hats, ensuring that everyone and everything was ready for the 11am start.

The Dog Show, organised by Lauren Sheldon, was a little damp, but that didn’t deter the many entrants judged by St Peters Vets. There were plenty of wagging tails, with Boulez taking home the Best Dog title.

The ever-popular barbecue, run by Jonny Arnold, was complemented this year by a delicious evening paella cooked by Louis Silk. Each large panful sold out as soon as it was ready — a sure sign we’ll be seeing it again next year!

A bigger print run of our excellent magazine (designed by Steve Pierson), a revamped website (by Herb Miller), a social media campaign (led by Steven Johnston), and an advertising push (by Ed Sheldon) all contributed to attracting financial support from many local businesses — with Henry Adams once again sponsoring the event.

This year, we placed special emphasis on reviving the Horticultural Show, long a key part of the day. Sponsored by the Fair Committee itself, the show returned with great success. The Village Hall was filled with entries and saw a steady stream of visitors throughout the day.

All of the above, together with the kids’ rides, meant there was plenty to see and do — and plenty of people doing it. Attendance, after a bit of a slow start, ended up as strong as any previous year. Our volunteer-run bar, staffed by Adrian Wilcox and Lisa Laverty, was kept as busy as ever — especially in the evening when dancing to the brilliant evening bands Phil Harvey hired, with AstroModa and WonderBoy particularly working up quite a thirst.

I hope the village enjoyed the fair, and I look forward to welcoming you all in 2026.

Grahame Morrison
On behalf of the Fair Committee