Victorian Fair & Picnic, 2008

What a success!  The weather was absolutely gorgeous on Sunday, June 8th.  The tea, cakes and ice cream were yummy.  And the entertainment was fantastic!  Around 300 people attended our Bredwardine & Brobury Victorian Fair & Picnic!  The music performed by a local St John's Brass Band, the Monday Choir and local singers lead by Bredwardine's own Mick Miller, served as the icing on the cakes!  The takings are still being counted, but it appears that on the day we netted a profit of approximately £1,800 which will be shared by St Andrew's Church and Bredwardine & Brobury Village Hall. A big thank you to all of the helpers, sponsors, donors, and especially Pru for supplying the perfect venue!!

To view a few photos from the day, just click on this link

Crafta Webb Film Premiere

Friday, May 23, 2008, at the Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival provided yet another venue to premiere our local film. The evening was a sell-out in the Sky Cinema Marquee. Many residents who had participated in the Rural Media film, Crafta Webb film attended for this third premiere of the productions.  The Rural Media staff who "made the film happen" also attended and very generously hosted a celebration after the showing. Again, the comraderie of all who participated was wonderful! 

Crafta Webb Post-production "Do", 26th January 2008

Saturday evening was well attended by approximately 35 local residents who had participated in the Rural Media film, Crafta Webb film.  The Rural Media staff who "made the film happen" also attended.  The food, drink and comraderie was excellent!  Jean and Ralph organised the night with the help of the Crafta Webb "cast".  Adrian Lambert from Rural Media informed us of two future showings of the "Crafta Webb" movie. The dates are tentative and need to be confirmed.  The first date is the Borderlines Film Festival in Hereford and the other date is at Hay-on-Wye Literature Festival, which will host a Drama and Documentary Screening.  That's not all!  There will be an article on Rural Media and Crafta Webb in the February edition of Herefordshire Life magazine.  And the Crafta Webb DVD will also be available in all the Herefordshire Libraries, including the mobile libraries.  Exciting times! To read more about the Crafta Webb Film Premiere on 3rd November 2007 and the project's background click here

Victorian Picnic, 10th June 2007

Our Victorian Picnic was held during the afternoon of Sunday June 10th 2007 in the grounds of Brobury House (in aid of St Andrew's Church and Bredwardine and Brobury Village Hall). The event was blessed with fine weather and was well-attended, and there were lots of people in period costume - more than might normally be the case because filming of the Crafta Webb drama was taking place simultaneously, and the Rural Media project had provided lots of costumes.

The attractions included a Barrel Organ, a Brass Band, Gypsy Dancing, and "Mrs Beeton" and other music performed by "The Monday Choir". Lawn Skittles, Croquet, Skipping Ropes, Hoops, and Quoits were enjoyed too, rounded off by picnic teas. Some brought their own, and others enjoyed the tea, cakes and ice cream cornets on sale courtesy of the the local ladies.

St Andrew's Christmas Fair, 25th November 2006 On Saturday, Bredwardine with Brobury held their joint Christmas Fair in St Andrew’s Church, Bredwardine. Attractions included Various Stalls of Crafts, Cakes, Chutney and Christmas Trees, plus Games of Skill and Chance, a Christmas Raffle  and Father Christmas. Proceeds amounted to well over £550 in aid of St Andrew's Bell Restoration.

Open Gardens at Brobury House, 29th October 2006 The weather was beautiful - so different from the date earlier this year when Brobury was previously on show under the NATIONAL OPEN GARDENS SCHEME. The autumn tints were appreciated by more than 90 visitors, and proceeds from the teas, coffees and home-baked cakes raised £200 which has been donated to the restoration of the bells at St Andrew's Church, Bredwardine. At the same time, £300 was generated for the Scheme from entrance fees. Pru would like to thank everyone who helped.

Harvest Festival, St Andrew's, Bredwardine - 1st October 2006 On an afternoon that presaged autumn, approximately 70 people attended the Harvest Festival and enjoyed the service. It included five hymns plus the selected anthem 'Now The Green Blade Riseth', and the presentation of harvest fare by village children.  The sermon, given by Peter Haines, and estimated by him as one of "2 Polos" duration, was well received though some (crunchers?) thought it nearer to 3 than 2 "Polos"! James played the organ excellently throughout, and the service was followed by delicious refreshments in the Church. Roger James thanked those who had bedecked the church so beautifully with seasonal produce and flowers.

Evensong at St Andrew's Church, Sunday, 3rd September 2006 Evensong was well attended (nearly 40 people), and afterwards Bill Mackenzie gave a fascinating guided tour of the church - which gave interesting facts, and also left some intriguing questions......... For more on the Church click here

Last Night of the Proms, 9th September 2006 Brobury House resonated to the relay of the Last Night of the Proms on Saturday, the 9th September and, for the first time in several years, the weather was kind.

Jazz on a Summer Eve, 30th August 2006 Jazz quartet 'AdHoc', featuring local musician Nicky Jaques, played a brilliant session at Moccas Village Hall on Wednesday 30th August. It was well attended, indoor picnics were enjoyed and Bredwardine and Brobury Village Hall benefitted financially. Thanks to Moccas Hall for helping us out.

Annual Village Barbecue, 28th August 2006 The annual Bredwardine and Brobury Village Barbecue on Bank Holiday Monday started at 6pm, and the rain began before 7! Despite the inclement weather this year's BBQ raised even more than last year. Thanks to all who helped before, during and after. The weather didn't dampen our spirits; teamwork in action; the veggie kebabs were spiced up this year with a lovely ginger marinade; "corn anyone?" was heard; the ex-fireman was upstaged as rain put his fire out.

Evensong at St Andrew's Church was well attended on Sunday, August 6th in Bredwardine. Another record attendance at St Andrew's Evensong!  The Welsh theme was enthusiastically supported and the local ladies provided 'Jesus, Blessed Saviour' as a home-crafted anthem with chorale.  More next month.  And just imagine the magic of an evensong service, when our bells are finally restored to their melodic glory.

St Andrew's Church Fete was held on Saturday, 5th August 2006. What an enjoyable day it was!  Very well attended too.  Our total profits reflected the success of our annual event.  On the day the takings were an amazing £1607!  The Hats and Summer Bonnets Competition (Fancy Hat Competition ) generated quite an attraction this year.  The Brass Band (Brass Band) provided the perfect fete ambience. Here are a few more photos of the fun! White Elephants, More White Elephants, Bouncy Castle, Chinese Auction and Games for All. All proceeds were in aid of St Andrew’s Bells Restoration.

Cream Teas at Hill House was a very enjoyable afternoon! A big thank you to everyone who attended and made this year's Cream Tea such a success. Thank you also to everyone "behind the scenes" who made it all happen on the day! The gardens at Hill House were beautiful. The tea, scones, cakes, strawberries and cream were all delicious! Although the weather was a bit cool on Sunday, 9th July 2006, this year's Cream Tea generated an even larger profit than last year. Donations and proceed from the event netted a profit of £200, which will go to good use in maintaining the Bredwardine and Brobury Village Hall.

Visits to Neals Yard Creamery on Arthur's Stone Lane were greatly enjoyed in late March 2006, both for an insight into the making of the tremendous cheeses, and for a tour of the environmentally friendly infrastructure which includes a wet system (a series of ponds with reeds and willows which treats the liquid waste); water heating solar panels; and a small wind turbine.

The Village Wassail happened again in mid January 2006 in the orchard opposite the Red Lion, thanks to Mr Colin Hinksman, who said that the cider apple harvest there in 2005 - after the inaugural wassail - was good.

The 2005 Christmas Fayre was held on 26th November in Bredwardine Church, a few days after the first snows of the winter. Stalls included cakes, pickles, chutneys, tombola, a Christmas Raffle, and Games of Skill and Chance. Father Christmas was in attendance, helped along by mulled wine and mince pies. The Bredwardine Church Restoration Fund benefited.

The Last Night of the Proms on September 10th 2005 again coincided with terribly wet weather (which apparently was countrywide), but a good number of hardy souls braved the elements and the event raised over £400.

Victorian Fayre 2005!
Bredwardine and Brobury enjoyed their first Victorian Fayre on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th, June 2005.

Visitors in period costume strolled, to the sounds of a barrel organ, along the Victorian Promenade in the orchard opposite the Red Lion Hotel where there was a variety of stalls and activities including a Punch and Judy show, strolling juggler and fire-eater, skittles, coconut shie, and cake, sweet and plant stalls. In St. Andrew's Church there were refreshments, guided tours and displays of Bredwardine and Brobury in the Victorian era.

Across the River Wye at the Victorian Brobury House, there were falconry and fly-casting demonstrations, a children's treasure hunt and tours of the Gardens and, on Sunday, an elegant luncheon was served in the Conservatory. The weekend was rounded off by Victorian Evensong in St. Andrew's.

The 2005 Victorian Fayre was the third annual event jointly organised by the Church and the Village Hall. Based on the success of these events, we plan to have another joint event in 2006. See above Forthcoming Events!

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Last updated: February 4, 2010