THE sun shone brightly across the bustling village of Wimblington as a sea of locals gathered to experience a fun filled day of family events.
St. Peter’s Church, Wimblington, had their very own raffle stall.
There was also the opportunity to ‘hook a duck’ and win a prize.
This was the ideal family, fun event, that was a great incentive to raise money for the local church.
When speaking to the owner of ‘Ickle Icons’, an ever-expanding character merchandise store, it became apparent as to why they attended this fun day out.
Their stall was filled with a colourful array of hats, children’s accessories and eye-catching merchandise. These items were ideal for the many families that attended this brilliant community event.
A spokesperson from Ickle Icons said: “This is a great community event and really encourages people to come out and see what’s available within their local community.”
The store is also planning to link their merchandise with schools, and offer fundraising to local educational outlets in the area.
When visiting Denise, a member of Phoenix Trading, at the Fun Day, she expressed her views about this spectacular community event.
She said: “This is a local, fun family event. Phoenix Trading is also a well-established brand, so it is great to promote my merchandise to the local people.”
I also spoke to the owner of ‘Bubble Beads Jewellery’, who has lived in the area all of her life.
When asked about the Wimblington Family Fun Day, she said: “I like to support the community. Having lived here all my life, it is nice to put something back in.”
This event was perfect for Bubble Beads Jewellery, as the owner was able to express her appreciation for her homeland, and the people within it.
I then visited the Parkfield Archers stall and got the chance to try my hand at archery. There’s a first time for everything.
I felt really pleased that I managed to hit the target and can see why many local people and their family and friends would enjoy attending this community club.
Next on my list was a visit to Iris and Jill’s stall.
As keen lovers of sewing with an intricate detail for art, the decorative duo lit up the field with their mesmerising creations.
I was particularly taken aback by the beautiful flower paintings and the professional, elegant cushion designs.
I also paid a visit to the Wimblington and Stonea Community Car Scheme first established more than 27 years ago by Cyril Parkinson, a key member of our local community particularly due to his help with Thomas Eaton Primary School.
The scheme is designed to provide a voluntary car service for medical and social journeys. The scheme serves the Parish of Wimblington, Hook & Stonea.
Supported by Cambridgeshire County Council and Care Network, this well-known service is very well respected within our local community.
Anyone aged 60 or above or disabled people living in our area are able to use the scheme, which is designed to give local people who fall into the above categories a far brighter quality of life, enabling them to maintain contact with friends through social events such like local clubs and community gatherings.
Locals can also use the scheme to attend medical appointments, to pick up prescriptions, or to visit friends and relatives in hospital.
At only 30 pence per mile, the scheme aims to provide a helpful and friendly service for many in the local area.
When visiting another community group which sits in the heart of Cambridgeshire, Wimblington and Stonea Allotment Society, I spoke to Andy Thomas from the organising committee, who said: “An event like this is what Village life is all about.”
I also visited Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, a national charity who offer a life-changing level of independence, confidence and companionship to deaf people by providing dogs trained to alert recipients to important everyday sounds and danger signals.
In Cambridgeshire, there are a group of 40 people (puppy socialisers) who look after Hearing Dog Puppies from 8 weeks to one year old in their home before the young dog moves on to their advanced soundwork training.
A spokesperson from the charity said: “Having a stall at this event enables us to raise awareness about the charity’s important work and raise money too.”
The RSPCA from Block Fen also attended the Fun Day. Their aim is to raise awareness regarding animals that have been abused.
Their job is to re-home and rehabilitate hundreds of innocent animals per year.
It is the hard work of the RSPCA, and the care of our local community, that sees over half a million pounds of donations each year.
I also spoke to another animal charity.
A spokesperson from Wood Green Animal Shelter said: “This event helps us to raise awareness in all areas, from the distribution of leaflets and people coming along to the Fun Day. An event like this is crucial for us raising life-changing funds.”
My next stop was Snazzy Faces and Storms Face Painting.
When asked about their views of the Fun Day, a spokesperson from the stall said: “This is a really nice family event that keeps everyone occupied. It brings the community together, promotes our stall and lets people know what’s going on in their local community.”
Aside from their stall, the duo help to run Doddington Under-5’s Group.
They also felt that attending the event helped to promote their toddler group, thus allowing local families to build and grow new community relationships.
Overall, the day was much enjoyed by everyone that attended and I will definitely be attending the event next year. A huge thank you to everyone that attended and I wish all of the small charities and businesses every success in the future.
I look forward to seeing everyone again next year.
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