Otterton's Diamond Jubilee Arrangements
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Otterton Village celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in some style. During the preceding eight months a group of hardworking volunteers planned how we might celebrate the Jubilee and how to raise funds.
From March through to the weekend of the Jubilee, events have been held and extremely well attended by villagers and many friends from our area.
These and other donations funded a lively family barn dance held on the Saturday evening at Bicton College home farm. The Principal of the College generously gave use of the barn, arranged for clearance of stored agricultural machinery and even lent another barn for the hog roast. This was a great bonus when the deluge of rain set in! The impressive new Earth Centre was also made available to revellers to take a quiet break.
Suitably bedecked with bunting, Union Jacks and balloons - see photo gallery - the barn proved to be a great venue. All generations, from toddlers to octogenarians, energetically and with great hilarity, danced to the music and calling of the well known Mrs Midnight's band. A delicious hog roast, supplied and served up by Kenniford Farm was enjoyed by all for tickets at just £2 per adult, thanks to the funds raised.
Sunday started with a Jubilee Songs of Praise in Otterton church, led by the 20 strong choir. As the Rev. Anne Charlton said, it was good to see representatives from all corners of the Raleigh Mission Community present. They tapped their feet and bobbed around to the choir's rousing boogie woogie rhythm of "Jubilate Jazz".
The next event was the picnic on The Green which had been decorated with bunting, flags and colourful tables. Some 250 villagers sat down with their own picnic spreads and enjoyed lemonade, cider and ice creams for children, provided from the funds. There were babes in arms and several people in their 90s. Commemorative mugs were presented individually to each child under the age of 12. Various traditional country games, including stocks, added to the fun and we even escaped with only a couple of light showers of rain.
Throughout Saturday and Sunday a couple of hundred people visited the remarkable exhibition of photographs and digital displays in the village hall depicting life in Otterton throughout the last century until present times. Many people placed orders for individual photographs and the commemorative digital photo booklet of "Otterton Throughout the Reign, 1952 to 2012".
The preparations and celebrations for Otterton's tribute to our Diamond Jubilee Queen brought the community together.
By Judy & Brian Major
Photos of the Events
Click on the Photo to View Album Date Click on Title to View Album Photographer
May 2012 Barn Dance Preparation Brian Major 2nd June 2012 Barn Dance Suzanne Smith
2nd June 2012 Barn Dance Tom Dufall
2nd June 2012 Barn Dance Nigel Daly
2nd June 2012 Hog Roast & Barn Dance Pam Chidley 3rd June 2012 Picnic Set-Up Suzanne Smith
3rd June 2012 Picnic in Full Swing Suzanne Smith
3rd June 2012 Picnic Party Tom Dufall 3rd June 2012 Picnic on the Green Pam Chidley 3rd June 2012 Picnic Photos David Pankhurst 3rd June 2012 Picnic Photos Brian Major 3rd June 2012 Picnic Photos Richard Gladstone 3rd June 2012 Picnic Photos Nigel Daly
For a copy of the flier of the events click here.
If you have any photos of the event please contact us (Webmaster Ro Smith)
