No formal Jottings this month, they resume in September…but just a couple of things to report.
The most exciting is that John, who amongst many other things is the webmaster and developer of this excellent Sheldon website, has successfully passed all the assessment hurdles to become a Police Officer. He starts his training in September. When he told me he said: ”I think I’m still in shock to be honest!” Happy shock, but shock nonetheless. He handed in his notice to the National Park Authority the day he found out where he was a very valued member of staff (what will they do without him? It is a most demanding process getting into the Police Force, and he deserves every possible pat on the back for being successful. Another success for Sheldon, again punching above its weight, as the Chief Executive of the National Park remarked several times when he visited the village recently and attended the start of our last Parish Meeting.
The other success was Sheldon Day. You will already have read about it here, with the thanks to everyone by the Sheldon Day team. But I too want to express my deepest thanks to everyone, the whole village, for making it such an extraordinary success. When you realise that we made over one thousand pounds AN HOUR, it puts it into proper perspective the achievement of the day. As I walked around during the afternoon, speaking to visitors and everyone on the stalls, what impressed me so much was the happy, contented sense of joy in the day itself; that’s what Sheldon Day is really all about! It is terrific to have the money of course, and we will decide as we always do how to distribute it at our August Parish Meeting. But much more important than mere money is the incredible community effort, and the community involvement that Sheldon Day provides, and the community spirit and togetherness that results.
Walking from the car parking (what would we have done without Ken Brocklehurst’s kind offer of the use of his fields for the afternoon) where our busy car park attendants (thanks guys) were working out where to put the enormous number of cars down the village past the queues waiting for their cream tea in the village hall, past all the stalls and games, the band, the dog show, and all the stalls on the playing field, it was an afternoon that will stay with me and everyone in the village for a long time. I always like to visit the Church to see the flower display and this year I dropped in several times during the day. It was magnificent, the flowers, the way they were arranged and the theme. Wonderful, always, I feel the centre of our Day, our Church. I have never seen such crowds, all enjoying themselves. A wonderful achievement.
Enjoy the rest of the August holiday period, more Jottings next month