Westbury on Trym welcomed the start of autumn on September 7 with the annual Village Show. This year the theme had a literary flavour and was entitled Hooked on Books. This was reflected in the names of some of the exhibit classes. Paul Walker, the library development officer for Bristol City Council, opened the show with a stirring speech on the continued importance of books and libraries, and reflected on his own happy childhood experiences of entering his local village show.
The stonework, windows and guttering of the Village Hall are undergoing restoration, but the scaffolding that surrounds the building did not deter people from supporting the event. There was a record number of exhibitors, exhibits and visitors, so the hall was bright with displays of fruit, vegetables, cooking, handicrafts, sewing, art, photography and flower arranging. All ages were represented and the entries were a testament to the talents of local people.
The judges had an onerous task as there were so many impressive entries from which to choose. Reuben Tushingham, aged nine, was delighted to win the Best in Show trophy, (which was chosen by Paul), for his living garden grown in an ice cream tub, and which was entitled Mr. McGregor’s Garden.
Amazingly, the show even featured on BBC Breakfast and went viral on social media as one of the presenters won a first prize rosette for his cheese and onion pasty!
Luckily, the rain held off until the end of the show. The garden buzzed with chatter as visitors perused the stalls, enjoyed the food and met up with friends and neighbours. Music from the Marshfield Brass Band was, as always, a highlight of the day. This year, entertainment was also provided by the Great Western Chorus of Bristol; their singing and sense of fun made a big contribution to the festive atmosphere.
The show committee is grateful to the many businesses and organisations in the community who supported the event by placing advertisements in the schedule or by donating prizes for the raffle. The show is primarily a community event but proceeds will be donated towards the upkeep of the Village Hall.
Next year’s Show will be on Saturday September 6.
Carole Thorpe