News

What a talented lot you all are! There’ll be around 20 stalls showing off a variety of local creativity at the Hand-Made in the Hems event on Saturday 23rd June 10am to 4pm. You’ll find handcrafted furniture, quilts, soft toys, all manner of jewellery, paintings, drawings, cards, photographs, handbags, bird boxes, a hand-made guitar, demo of model steam engines, plus lots of Plant and Produce. Children can enjoy a craft workshop and there’ll be a Blind Auction.

PLEASE HELP!  Volunteers are urgently needed to serve refreshments and we also need lots of CONTRIBUTIONS for the Plant and Produce Stall plus help to man it. Contact Ali Taylor on 865058 or send her an e-mail if you can help – even if it’s just for a short time.

The Community Space has been speedily put into action: every Wednesday morning during term time, the village’s first Parent and Toddler group meets at Littlehempston Church. Everyone who looks after a pre-school child will be given a warm welcome, and the children will enjoy lots of different activities, games, songs and even nature walks. Snacks are provided and the adults enjoy fresh coffee or tea (plus yummy biscuits). The group starts at 9.30am, though some families arrive earlier while others turn up later. Finish time is around midday.

A splendid spread of scones and cakes provided a fitting finale to the Littlehempston Jubilee festivities. Val and John Hoare aided by their sons hosted a delicious tea, which nearly turned into supper by the time the last folk left. There was a fair amount of reminiscing from those old enough to remember the Coronation, prompted by a fine display of mugs, photos and memorabilia. And some people braved the elements and turned up in 50’s dress – a brief bout of jiving even broke out. Happily the rain stopped and people were able to venture out and admire the garden with John providing handy hints on growing veg and herbs. A big thank you to all the Hoare family for a lovely afternoon!

Over 4,200 beacons were lit across the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Commonwealth and Overseas UK Territories in celebration of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on Monday 4th June. And Littlehempston’s beacon was one of them.

A huge thank you to Lawrence Joiner who organised the creation of an enormous pile of combustible material gathered from all around the parish and piled on a high point in the Miller’s top field. Thank you, Liz and Roger! Lots of people gathered to chat and watch the fire leap into full and splendid flame at the alloted time of 10.15pm. Beacons from other villages lit the darkening sky, as did firework displays and flares. A magical evening!

More pictures in the gallery.

Weren’t we lucky?  The village turned out in force for the Jubilee Photo and for a brief ten minutes the sun shone!  Many thanks to Ken Wood for taking the photo. You can see the photo in the gallery and download your own copy. Or there’s a copy on view in the church together with an order form – Ken will print you one off.

Another merry evening was had at Littlehempston’s second lottery draw at the Pig & Whistle. However suspicions are growing that organiser, Ken Wood, may be favouring his Gatcombe neighbours, as the lucky winner this quarter was Nicky Oldridge, who lives next door. Last quarter’s winner was Mike Wellum, who lives just up the road. But this is just idle gossip – the draw was scrupulously handled with Pig & Whistle landlord John Bate pulling out the winning ball.  Colin Platt received a cheque for £250 on behalf of the Space Project and Nicky was delighted with her £250 win.

The next draw is on August 29th – why not come early and have a meal? This is a great way of supporting the Community Space: more information here.