I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make Effingham Dambusters weekend such an amazing success. Yes, we need to thank the Almighty for the beautiful weather! – but the huge numbers of those who turned out to support us was simply overwhelming and so appreciated. So far the Dambusters Talk on Friday and the Fete on Saturday have raised well over £4,000 for the St. Lawrence Church Lighting Appeal – far exceeding our expectations and a wonderful encouragement as we work towards lighting the church and showing its true potential for all our residents.
For the ‘official’ EFFRA team, sincere and due thanks are extended to David King and Roy Donovan who manned the bar at the beginning of the fete (and also provided a ‘garden full’ of plants for the plant stall); Howard Manton, Ian Smith, Nigel Lambert and Graham White who also took turns to man the bar and Jenny King, who saved the day for the cream teas by providing 50 scones, cream and jam as well as helping on the cake stall. Not forgetting, Norma Miller, an EPFA member who played a major role in supplying and running the cake stall.
Many thanks are also due to EFFRA’s chairman, Vivien White. She is always prepared to immediately help when approached. On Saturday she was particularly helpful by providing information to display near Barnes Wallis’ grave and also by being an ‘escort’ and car driver for Barnes Wallis’ daughter, Elisabeth.
As residents in Effingham we are very fortunate to have such hard-working volunteers helping to encourage community life, which is very much the vision of the parish church as well.
We are already planning some more social events which everyone is invited to. The next one will be the Harvest Supper on Saturday 20th October to be held at the Barn in Manor House Lane, Little Bookham. More details to follow.
And for any keen gardeners, we plan to organise a Effiingham with Little Bookham Parish Open Gardens Event on Sunday 9th June 2019. Watch this space!
Reverend Mandy MacVean
Rector,
The Parish of St Lawrence, Effingham
with All Saints, Little Bookham.
Tel: 01372 458314
www.st-lawrence-church-effingham.org.uk
Can I just say from the EFFRA Committee that it was an absolute pleasure to be part of the day. The organisers – Chris and Sharon Dick and Sarah Montgomery and all the volunteers from the churches and the Rev Mandy too – organised a terrific fete. The St Lawrence Church Lighting Appeal is an important village cause as anyone who attended the talk about the Dambuster Raid the evening before the fete will agree! It is great that the two days raised so much towards it. I think also that there will be few of us who watched the Dakota flypast over Barnes Wallis’ grave who will forget it.
Must just mention Jenny Peers who worked tirelessly all day on the tea and coffee section. In fact she pulled the whole thing together.