Alverstoke hosts 34th edition of Michaelmas Fayre
THE MICHAELMAS FAYRE made an amazing return to the heart of Alverstoke Village on September 28 (Saturday) as it celebrated its thirty-fourth year; the event featuring a total of 120 stalls run by local charities / business alongside a fair, food vendors and entertainment.
The annual event is planned and run by the Gosport Rotary Club, whose organiser John Lovell kindly spoke to the Globe as he empathised the importance of prioritising local organisations. He further added that planning this single day event required many permits, licences and some road closures; saying: “I start organising this in January”.
And community spirit was evident as the Rotary Club held a raffle containing over thirty-five different sized hampers alongside a flat screen television. These prizes were all donated by local businesses and further pleased all those successful winners who were able to take one home.
One of the many organisations raising money at the Fayre was Purple Community Fund, a charity run by Jane Walker. Their stall was selling items such as bags, purses and Christmas decorations made entirely out both of ring pulls from both cans and tins; the organisation also branching out into making clothing using ring pulls over recent months.
Walker explained how the ring pulls are sourced from landfill sites in the Philippines, with all of the items being handmade by mothers there. Purple Community Fund also runs community programmes in the Philippines, such as delivering education and skills training, as well as providing healthcare and nutrition.
The Stokes Bay Women’s Institute (WI) were also in attendance as they raised money for Gosport Coastwatch by selling homemade baked goods. They are one of seven Women’s Institutes in Gosport and were one of several WIs with a stall at the Michaelmas Fayre.
President Angela MacCallum said: “We started with virtually 400 jars of jam, pickle and chutney”. Member Liz Kilian added: “We can raise quite a bit of money” at the Michaelmas Fayre; whilst a full report on the event by member Pam Marsden can be seen here.
The Stokes Bay WI has around 100 members and is open to all, with McCallum saying that the group has “a significant number of pensioners but we’re all young at heart.” Their motto is “friendship and fun”, which is reflected in the various clubs and activities run, such as knitting, sewing and monthly trips to local garden centres.
Also at the Fayre was the Gosport Allotment Association, a voluntary organisation for people who love gardening. Their stall was filled with an impressive display of fruit, vegetables and plants, all grown locally and donated by members.
Chairman Jim More said that the group aims to keep people interested in gardening and growing their own produce. The association also runs two shows a year for people to display what they have grown or made, with a Pumpkin and Produce show to be held on 26 October.
Vice chairman Steve Broughton said that the show will “cover everything from jams and chutneys to big pumpkins,” and there will also be a raffle for people to win prizes. This is likely to be well attended due to its closeness to Halloween, which is loved by residents across the Borough.
Towards the end of the Fayre, the HMS Sultan Volunteer Band filled the village centre to give a great performance in front of the Mayor of Gosport, Councillor Richard Earle. It provided a brilliant ending to a day of success for many organisations and fun for all involved under lovely sunny but occasionally chilly skies.
Proceeds from the Michaelmas Fayre are divided equally between the Rotary Club, the Alverstoke Parish Centre, and the Mayor’s charities. These are: Plan B, who aim to support young people who do not engage with mainstream education, Level Up Gosport, who support young people with additional needs through community volunteering, and Cedaroak, who provide counselling services to those who have experienced the loss of a baby.
The 34th Michaelmas Fayre was a great success, made even better by the lovely weather on the day. Last year, the Fayre raised more than £20,000 for local causes, and hopefully a similar amount will have been raised this year.
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PICTURED BY JOANNA BURRELL(LEFT TO RIGHT): Gosport Mayor, Cllr Richard Earle, John Lovell and Lesley Brunink of the Rotary Club and Debbie Sherman, the Mayor’s wife all pose for picture upon backdrop of blue skies.