The day started for committee members plus a sprinkling of husbands/partners setting up the hall to receive a bumper crop of glowing orange orbs in a variety of shapes and sizes. Once the games, Raffle, Tombola and competitions were set up and the entry forms all completed, the event swung into action at 1.00pm.
The top table on the stage groaned with pumpkins carved, decorated, hollowed out and illuminated. The standard of the exhibits was excellent. At the front of the stage reclined a magnificent, beautifully shaped pumpkin which had been grown, nurtured and exhibited by young Tom Brown one of the junior exhibitors. This splendid vegetable won the prize of being the largest pumpkin in the show. Also in the junior categories Cleo Barrow won for the most artistic entry and Tom & Lucy Owen jointly for the funniest entry.
The central table displayed a variety of pumpkin produce, including pumpkin & rosemary muffins, pumpkin frittata, p
umpkin loaf, pumpkin preserve and a pumpkin shaped cake. Christine Russell won in the Artistic and Funniest categories, while Maggie Ridley took the prize for the best Savoury and best Cake. Wendy Welsford took the prize for the best Preserve.
From 1.00pm onwards wonderful aromas wafted from the kitchen which was open to visitors to partake of a huge cauldron of spicy pumpkin soup. A wide variety
of cakes, muffins and loaves provided the ‘dessert’ for our hungry and customers. One sumptuous chocolate cake, in particular, attracted mouth-watering attention and the plate was soon emptied. A chocolate and courgette cake was deemed ‘to die for’ and muffins described as delicious and moist. Pots of tea were brewed and coffee poured to accompany the superb selection of cakes. Kitchen ‘staff’ included Maggie Ridley, Jacqui Waller, Jan Caunt and Elizabeth Fox. Outside in the main hall shrieks of laugher and whoops of excitement were infectious as games were played.
Games such as: Catch the Rat, Roll a Penny, Ronnie's Rib, Finders Keepers, Buried Treasure, Higher or Lower and Where's the Wine, plus, of course, the Hum
an Fruit Machine attracted much attention, competitive spirit and a good deal of laughter. Sue Clarke disguised herself as a beguiling witch with wicked cackle as customers paid to guess her name. The name turned out to be Ranunculus which as we all know is the botanical name for Buttercup!
Towards the latter part of the afternoon contestants enjoyed team games such as Make a Mummy, won by the Wizards, and The Big Spell, won by the St Lawrence Superspellers.
Chris Russell was the MC . Ably assisting on the various games were Christine Russell, Jill Fothergill, Theresa and Peter Noble, Ken Trowbridge, Penny and Geoff Smith, Hazel and Richard Russell, and Traudl and Reiner Wagner.
Ann Dedman ran the Raffle table. Prizes included an exquisite glass pumpkin, made
especially by Isle of Wight Glass, the lucky winner of which was Mrs. Rachel Attrill from Rookley. St. Rhadagunds donated a voucher for a lunch for two which was won by Ann & Mike Dedman. Maritime Heritage Tours Ltd (St. Catherine’s Lighthouse) donated two vouchers - one was for a family visit to the lighthouse won by Ruth Weatherly-Emberson and the other for 2 adults was won by Jackie Howlett. A beautiful basket of fruit was won by Maureen & Bernard Cawley and the very attr
active garden ornament was won by Brian Lucas.
Maureen & Bernard Cawley did a superb job with the Tombola stall which w
as piled high with a hundred prizes.
Mike Dedman checked in every entry for the various competitions and wrote up the final lists of winners.
Total monies taken on the day were £353.55p so after Expenses of 54.69p that left us with a handsome surplus of £298.86p.
A big ‘Thank You’ 
to Isle of Wight Glass, St. Rhadagunds and Maritime Heritage Tours for donating such lovely Raffle prizes and to everyone who planned, prepared, collected for, created for, donated to, cooked and baked for and generous
ly helped with this event.
It was a great pumpkin success!