Radipole’s Big Fun Day; Surprises That Just Keep on Giving

With our biggest event done and dusted for this year, we now have time to catch our breaths and reflect before we start to think about next year.

Each year our Big Fun Day has grown in size, as our chair Mike Goulden so aptly put it, we have created a monster!

O.K so it might not be the biggest event on the planet, but coming from a committee of just five, how can I kindly put this? persons of a certain age, it takes a lot of time, energy and stamina as anyone who arranges events of any size will know.

Thankfully we have a regular group of suspects who when called upon, turn out to help erect gazebos, hang bunting, supervise traffic and all those other tasks that go on unnoticed behind the scenes. We honestly couldn’t do anything without them.

But we would certainly welcome a few more hands on ‘suspects.’

Having set up the park ready, stall holders and entertainers arrived and prepped ready for action.

The sun shone, the crowds were out (thankfully not everyone dashed for the beach to enjoy that last beautiful summer’s weekend) and we were off.

This year, as something a bit different, we ran two competitions. The Radipole BakeScoff

(The lucky judges, Mike Goulden and master baker Roger Walden, who got to sample all these delicious entries)

Steve W won the much coveted Radipole slice and Radipole BakeScoff 2019 chefs hat.

Also highly commended for their baking skills were Franchesca Gale with her blackberry crumble cake and Madge Churches.

The wonderful ladies organised by Pam Palmer from St Aldhelm’s church came along to man our cake tent this year (and supplied many of those delectable delicacies on there)

Sadly I never got a crumb or even sniff of a cake as it was so manic in the Heritage and information tent that we didn’t get chance to stop and eat until the end of the day! Gutted!!!

(Mike Goulden showing people the proposed landscape architects plans for Radipole park and gardens should we succeed in our stage II Heritage Lottery bid.)

As for the Children Recycled Art competition?

Despite being widely advertised and there being some fantastic prizes up for grabs (not including Trixie who just loves to pose)…not a single entry!

One person who was kept extremely busy in the children’s art tent, with much zip-zipping of tape and cutting of cardboard, was well-renown artist Darrell Wakelam, working alongside children building magical models of their ideal playpark equipment.

He was blown away with their creativity and imaginative ideas.

(Artist Darrell Wakelam with a couple of creative, future play park equipment designers? Much more on this in another post)

The first surprise and one fantastic moment was when the Radipole Friends team were awarded the ‘Pay it Forward’ award from Chesil Radio, who were entertaining people at one end with their Retro Disco. (Loving the bubbles and hula hoops guys)

(Nikki Latham from Chesil Radio presenting the Friends with their award.)

Having been great supporters of our events they decided that it was time the Friends group deserved recognition. Of course that’s not why we do what we do, we do it purely because we are passionate about our park and gardens and working alongside Tara Williams and Weymouth parks department want to make it the best it can be for our local community.

The next surprise was me!

Another long time supporter of us and our events is roving reporter Peter Lythgoe of ZZipp Media, Weymouth Online Community TV. Now normally as I spot Peter lurking I hide…I hate talking, one to one fine, but stood in front of people my brain freezes.

Not this time though, poor Peter couldn’t shut me up…as he walked away to film the rest of the event, he rather dryly commented he ‘didn’t like to interrupt me!’

The last wonderful surprise came at the end of the event as people were wrapping up.

Local lady Linda Stevenson who had been running Dog Friendly Social, a stall right opposite us, came across and handed me a cash bag, its contents had been raised by them that afternoon with a competition for a four legged friend of the stuffed variety.

(The lucky winner of a cuddly four legged friend courtesy Dog Friendly Social.)

Wind down took quite a while,  dismantling tents, moving equipment, checking for left items and rubbish etc, but I think we all crawled into our respective beds that night exhausted but happy.

Since the announcement of our award we have been in the local paper, contacted with congratulations from all quarters including Weymouth mayor Graham Winter and the town council members.

Could get used to this. Grammies next…?

A humungous heart felt thank you to one and all who came along to take part or simply enjoy our event, you made it the great day it was.

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Some links to our fantastic supporters

 Chesil Radio: //www.chesilradio.com

Dog Friendly Social https://www.facebook.com/dogfriendly.social/

Peter Lythgoe Zzipp Media https://www.facebook.com/weymouthcommunitytvonline/

Artist Darrell Wakelam http://www.darrellwakelam.co.uk

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