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Social Events Sub-Committee

March 2008 Report

The Parish Sunday lunch in the McCabe Centre on 27th January was well attended and very successful. The committee would like to thank all those who helped out with preparing vegetables and those who helped on the day (especially with the washing up!!). The waiters in their bow ties and aprons looked really good!

Nearly 50 people came along to the Pancake Party in Church on Shrove Tuesday and about 200 pancakes were consumed! Each year we seem break the record.

At the time of writing the Day Trip to Arras (France) in April is fully booked. It's a very early start for those going, but hopefully we will have about 4 - 4 1/2 hours free time there and time for a bit of shopping on the way back.

We are organising “May-hem at the Bell” on Monday, 5th May, from 12 noon in the gardens of the Bell Inn. We hope there will be lots of fun for all the family. There will be a Beer Festival, food served out in the garden, bouncy castle, fun and games for the young and young at heart. Programmes will be available before the event and on the day, price £1 each, with a lucky number prize of a 3 - course meal for 2 people at the Bell Inn, kindly donated by Paul.

YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU

We now have wonderful kitchen facilities in the Church; last year we started serving cream teas, 2.30pm until 4.30pm, on the first weekend of each month during the summer months. This proved to be great fun. Those who served the teas really enjoyed doing it, they met lots of people both local and from great distances whilst managing to raise some funds for the church as well.

We would like to be able to offer this more frequently for 2008. This year the Social Committee has decided we would aim to serve the teas every Sunday afternoon from May 25th Bank Holiday weekend, until September 7th. This way we could become known as a regular “Sunday Afternoon Delight!”

Now this is where you come in. To enable us to do this we need a team of people who are willing to take on the organization for one Sunday (or may be more) during that period and get together a team. It may be that some church groups such as the bell ringers, or the choir, or the Friends would be willing to take on a Sunday. It could even be the Brownies or Cubs, the Staplehurst Society or WI group that would like to help. All the equipment needed is in the Church including tea, milk, cream and Jam, so all we ask of you is to bring your delicious scones and cakes and most important of all YOURSELVES.

If you would like to find out more please contact either Val Wallis on 01580 891390 or Alaine Summers 01580 892073

Our Summer Fete will be held on 12th July, and this year will have an Australian theme - make a note of the date in your diaries.

I am looking at arranging another trip to the Christmas Markets the last weekend of November, this time to the markets in Valkenburg (where a market is held in caves) and Aachen. I hope to have further details next month. Do let me know if you would be interested in this.

Alaine Summers (01580) 892073

February 2008 Report

Carols, Casks and Candlelight was a great success with some really good light entertainment alongside the community carol singing. Our special thanks go to Richard for organising the event and to Ted for playing the keyboard to keep us in good time.

At the time of writing this, tickets for the Parish Sunday lunch in the McCabe Centre on Sunday, 27th January are going well, so we hope every one will have enjoyed that - they should have done with Tug helping to serve the drinks!!

The Pancake Party will he held in Church on Shrove Tuesday, 5th February, between 6 - 7.30 p.m. Once again, all sorts of fillings will be available and no doubt a record number of pancakes will be consumed!

I have lots of names for the coach Day Trip to Arras (France) in April. Places may still be available, ring me if you are interested.

Many of you may have enjoyed some of the Donations for Dining meals last year and will be pleased to know that we hope to continue this throughout 2008. Lesley has already organised a Burns Night supper in January. If anyone would be willing to host a meal to help us raise some money for Church funds, please give me a ring. It really is a good way to meet people and a fun way to make some money!

On Monday May 5th, we are organising “May-hem at the Bell”, further details next month. Our Summer Fete will be held on 12th July, make a note of the date your diaries.

Alaine Summers (01580) 892073

January 2008 Report

Nearly 40 people came for Breakfast in Church on Sunday, 2nd December. Our special thanks to Robin for frying all the eggs.

At the time of writing this the tickets for Carols, Casks and Candlelight are going well, so hopefully many of you will have had a good time there.

Tickets are now available for the Parish Sunday lunch in the McCabe Centre on Sunday, 27th January, 12.30pm for 1.00pm lunch. The cost will be £7.50 per person, the same as last year. As before, the main course will be roast beef, although there will be a vegetarian option, plus a choice of puddings.

This will also include a glass of sherry, wine or fruit juice on arrival and a glass of wine or fruit juice with your meal, plus tea or coffee afterwards.

Don't forget the Pancake Party in Church on 5th February, all sorts of fillings will be available - I wonder how many pancakes will be eaten this year !

I am now taking names for the coach Day Trip to Arras (France) on 19th April. We will be leaving Staplehurst about 7.30am, travelling via Eurotunnel, spending about 4 hours in Arras plus some shopping time on the way back to Calais, getting back to Staplehurst about 8.30pm. Cost per coach seat will be £24.00.

December 2007 Report

The Auction of Promises on 13th October was a great success, not only financially (it raised over £3000) but it was also great fun. Our thanks, go to Julie Fitch and Gill Greetham who organised the event, to Geoff Greetham the auctioneer, to everyone who kindly donated gifts, or promises, and to all who entered into the fun of the evening and bought all the lots.

We served refreshments in Church after High Mass on All Saints Day (our Church birthday - who forgot the cake?!!). The Deanery Service on 4th November, when members of all the churches in our deanery join together for worship, was in Staplehurst this year and we co-ordinated the lunch following this in the the School Hall. As several of our committee were actively involved in the service we would like to say a special thank you to Yvonne and Patrick Harrisson, Anne Brenchley and Brian Summers for all their help in setting, up the lunch, it was really well organised.

We will be serving Breakfast in Church on Sunday 2nd December, in between the 8.00 am and 10.00am services. Sausage, bacon and eggs, or just toast if you prefer, available between 8.45 - 9.15 am. No charge but we do ask for donations. Just let us know if you want to come so that we know how many to cater for!

Carols, Casks and Candlelight will be on Saturday. 15th December, in the Parish Room (see the advert elsewhere in the magazine). This was really popular last year so get your tickets early, as numbers are limited. Tickets, £5 each, are available from Val (891390), Richard (893028) or me (892073). A glass of mulled wine is included and a light Supper. There will he a raffle, and a bar selling beer, wine and soft drinks.

We have started planning our events for next year - Parish Sunday lunch in the McCabe Centre on Sunday, 27th January; Pancake Party in Church on 5th February; Day Trip to Arras (France) 12th or 19th April; Continental Breakfast in Church on 1st June; Summer Fete on 12th July. More details to follow!

November 2007 Report

Cream Teas in Church were popular during the summer, and we hope to provide these again, next year. The Fundraising Barbecue in September was successful and the weather was lovely. We would like to thank all those who lent their tables, chairs and gazebos once again, those who supplied raffle and auction prizes, and to all who supported the event. Thanks also to my son, Matt, who offered to cook two Sunday lunches to boost the funds and after these have taken place our final total profit should be about £950.

The day trip to Le Touquet on 22nd September went well, the coach was completely full and the weather was beautiful. We had a slight delay at Folkestone but still had several hours in Le Touquet and time for some shopping on the way back!

Almost 50 attended Harvest Supper on 6th October. We would like to thank all who provided food for this, Lesley and Norman for providing some light entertainment, Brian on the bar, and to Val for organising such a successful evening. Any profit from this will be sent to our October charity, USPG. We would also like to thank Sylvia for organising a lovely afternoon tea following the traditional Harvest service on the Sunday afternoon.

Over 70 lots were offered for the Auction of Promises on 13th October; a report will month's magazine.

We will be serving Breakfast in Church on Sunday 2nd December, in between the 8.00am an 10.00 am services. Sausage, bacon and eggs, or just toast if you prefer, available between 8.45 - 9.15am.

Carols, Casks and Candlelight will be on Saturday 15th December, in the Parish Room. This was a new event last year and was really great fun; do put this in your diary, further details next month.

September 2007 Report

The Summer Fete on 14^th July was a great success. The weather was glorious and it was good to see so many people enjoying themselves. We would like to thank Richard and Shirley for the use of their lovely gardens; the Bell Inn for donating a meal for two for the Lucky Programme Prize winner, and also for supplying the beer; Johnsons of Headcorn for supplying the fruit juices; General Mills for the ice creams and Highgrove for their contribution to the plant stall. Also, our thanks to Michelle from La Resistance (alias Julie) for opening our French theme fete, to all who donated prizes, organised stalls, worked hard before and on the day, and to the many people who attended and made the event such fun. The Tug de Guerre was great fun and won by the Friends of the URC Church, beating the Saints and Sinners from All Saints in the final. We took almost £2,000 and after expenses raised about £1,750 for church funds.

Cream Teas in Church have been popular, some days busier than others, with a coach-load of visitors calling in on one Saturday!

The Day Trip to Le Touquet was on 22^nd September.

Harvest Supper was in the Parish Room on 6^th October.

Auction of Promises is in the School Hall on Saturday, 13^th October.

Also planned - Breakfast in Church on Sunday, 2^nd December, and Carols Casks and Candlelight on Saturday, 15^th December.

Alaine Summers (01580) 892073.