Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2010 | Page 46

out & about

Shorwell

Midsummer Fair
birthday party

The Shorwell Midsummer Fair
has celebrated its 50th year
in the grounds of Northcourt
Manor. The fair was initially
held to raise money for the
village hall extension opened
by Ruth Mew of Kingston
Manor.
Subsequently the
beneficiaries have been
widened to include all the
Shorwell Clubs, the churches
and the village hall, and also
the Brighstone Scouts, raising
over £5,000.
The fair retains its
traditional stalls, and have
not allowed commercial
stands, as has happened
in so many other fairs and
shows.
So Tombola, Coconut Shy,

Island Life - August/September 2010
skittles, cake stalls, sweets,
white elephant, remain as
popular as ever, but some of
the more exciting activities
like greasy pole, have had to
be suspended on the grounds
of insurance.
There was a total of 34
stalls, but much of the
attention was focused on
the arena where there was
country dancing, dog training
displays, falconry display, and

Watching the skittles

finally the traditional races
for children and adults .
The 2010 fair was attended
by 2000, raising £10,100
before expenses, and was
attended by Ruth Mews’s
daughter, Judith Hammond.
Dennis Russell - who has
been on the fair committee
for 50 years, half of them as
chairman - Andrew Turner
MP, and John and Christine
Harrison, owners of the

WI tent ladies eager for business

Manor.

crockery smash, hoopla,

Battle of the pole
Battle of t he pole

Birds eye view of the fair

46

Childrens sack race

Visit our new website - www.visitislandlife.com