It is easy to forget some of the work that went into planning the event, especially if, like me, you didn't do any of it!

History of Mr. Punch

Jubilee Chimes

Planning the Queen’s Jubilee in Barkham

You may be interested to hear about the background planning arrangements that went into organising this event, which took place on 22^nd June. The first Planning Committee meeting took place last October, by which time quite a lot of preliminary work had been done. The main question at that time was the venue. You will all know the limitations of the Village Hall in terms of location and space. So the idea of holding it in the Junipers was considered. This would need major infrastructure preparation – marquees, toilets, and electricity for a start. The cost would be prohibitive – unless we could get a Lottery Grant. The Awards for All Lottery office in Guildford had given the BVRA an award for the Millennium celebrations, so we went back to them and they were most helpful. Within a month of applying we had been granted the £4,881 for which we asked.

By the end of November, therefore, planning went into overdrive for our most ambitious - and risky - project to date. Apart from the BVRA the Planning Committee included the Parish Council, the Village Hall Committee, Barkham Wives, California Flower Club, as well as several individual residents. At the first meeting there were 6 people present – at the last one there were over a dozen! Everyone was brilliant, pooling local knowledge, contacts, skills and creating a splendid team. Everyone gave a great deal of time and energy, and bundles of enthusiasm.

What were our main problems? Well, part way through planning we were nearly thrown off course when we heard that WDC required us to have a Public Entertainment Licence. This would add £400 to the budget, and involve an immense amount of red tape. Luckily, after meeting with Council staff, we were able to compromise and say that the event would be a private one for BVRA members and guests, with entry to the evening functions by programme only.

Then we had to supply electricity to the site. Not just any old electricity, but power sufficiently stable to allow the Disco to run properly! The generator was the single most expensive item apart from the marquees, and over twice our original estimate! Then add in insurance, and other health & safety needs, and the cost soon mounted. Our final budget was well over £6,000. Full financial details will be published in the next newsletter as well, of course, as being sent to the Lottery board.

We must give heartfelt thanks to all our generous sponsors and supporters. Awards for All, of course, come first in the list. Without them the event would not have happened. Then our local sponsors deserve mention - Barkham Antiques Centre, Oak Lodge Gardening and Peter Robins. Debbie McCarthy, Creative Director and Co-founder of Oculus Design & Communications Ltd, based in Reading, designed the splendid programmes in her spare time as well as providing other artistic support. Thank you, one and all.

Digby Carter

Long Service to Barkham Recognised at the Jubilee Party

A small presentation was made at the Jubilee Party to a long-standing supporter of Barkham events. Bert Vile has been coming to Barkham village events with his PA system and technical expertise for over 30 years - and where would those events have been without his unsung support? In fact, Bert has been working with PA systems and radios since before he was 15. He remembers working at a party in Wargrave, where his family then lived, for VE Day itself! However, this was a sad occasion in a way. Bert says he is now hanging up his earphones for good, so this was a farewell appearance. He says if anyone were interested in taking over his equipment from him, he would love to sell it on to a good home.

Another long-time supporter of Barkham events was also there. Local piper Don Maclean, who lives in Doles lane, led the children’s Fancy Dress Parade. He has been a piper for 30 years - following in his father’s footsteps. He was in the BA Pipe band, and then later in the Midlands Police Band. He is now with Oaklands Park Pipe Band. He first became involved with the then annual Barkham May Fair as far back as 1985, and led the May Queen’s procession every year until 1997.

And Mrs Freda Naish, Barkham’s longest resident who has lived here for over 90 years, joined us to present the prizes to the ‘Make a Crown’ Competition winners.

Berkshire Young Musicians Trust at the Jubilee Event

We were greatly privileged to have two bands from the Berkshire Young Musicians Trust (BYMT) to play at the Jubilee event. Formerly the Berkshire County Music Service, the BYMT, which is a registered charity, teaches 10,000 children and young people in the Royal County, in schools and Music Centres. It consists of 4 Area Music Centres in Reading, Newbury, Bracknell and Windsor. The South Berkshire Music Centre (SBMC), in Bracknell, from whom our performers came, is second only in size to the Reading one and has 2,500 students on roll. Half of these attend Music Centre activities which include Band rehearsals and other ensemble sessions. SBMC boasts 7 brass bands of varying ages and levels of attainment, 3 wind bands, several wind ensembles, a string department with many ensembles and a full symphony orchestra. Concerts, both ‘in house’ and public, are promoted every school term, and outside tours and engagements are organised.

The bands that delighted most of Barkham’s residents on 22^nd June were the South Berks Youth Brass 2001, which is the most senior of the 7 brass bands in the SBMC and is conducted by Marc Edwards, and the South Berks Youth Wind Band, the most senior of the 3 wind bands at the Music Centre. This is conducted by James Baker. Both bands play regularly at local functions such as Wokingham Winter Carnival and May Fair, and Bracknell Environmental Fair, and tour regularly within the UK and abroad.

Some Jubilee Trivia! (A la Digby)

Do you know that, if you had invested £1000 in 1952 in an average bank deposit account, it would now be worth over £11,000 – but you would have needed nearly £18,000 just to keep up with inflation! If you’d invested it in property, it would be over £50,000 now. And if you’d invested your £1000 in the best stock market trust you would now be a millionaire – but you might equally have nothing if you’d guessed wrong!

In 1952 three million people in the country owned cars. This year over 26 million people do.

In the last 50 years, life expectancy has gone up by ten years.

A litre of petrol in 1952 cost 5p – one fifteenth of its current price. The price of a typical family car has gone up by almost 30 times.

In 1952, 150,000 Britons had holidays abroad. This year the figure will be 36 million.

Punch & Judy Join the Jubilee Celebrations

Mr Punch made a guest appearance at Barkham’s Jubilee funday. You may not know this, but Mr Punch is some 340 years old. He first comes to light in Samuel Pepys Diary on 9^th May 1662. At this time Punch was a marionette puppet, from Italy via France. It was not until 120 years later that he became a glove puppet, as we know him today. Throughout the ages Punch took well known characters of the time, and lampooned them - a bit like ‘Spitting Images’ did some hundreds of years later, it just shows, there’s nothing new in life! Two of the characters in the show were Jack Ketch, the 18^th Century Hangman, and Joey Grimaldi, or ‘Joey the Clown’ the father of all clowns from the early 1800s. Interestingly, Judy is a much later addition to the show, and was in fact originally known as Joan!

Jubilee Chimes

The All Saints Church Hand Bell Ringers added a soft and melodious touch to Barkham’s Jubilee activities. There were 6 ringers with a total of 15 bells, covering one and a half octaves. The appreciative audience noticed the wonderfully mellow tone of the bells, which comes because of their age. The bells are between 100 and 150 years old in many cases. This group have been playing together for over ten years.