Preparations
Each year significant effort by volunteers, which starts months earlier with a series of planning meetings, is needed to ensure that people enjoy their visit to the event. In 2017, erection of the tents commenced two days before the Garden Party.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: The Refreshment Tent takes shape.
Preparations continued on the evening before the event. These included the erection of the large marquee which would serve as the 'Craft Tent'.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: Putting up the large Marquee.
The Event
Once again, the weather was kind on the day of the event and visitors started to arrive at the entrance gate a little before noon.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: The Admission table.
The Refreshment Tent was soon busy and remained busy. The combination of covered and open air tables, with the Pimm's Tent nearby, catered for all tastes.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: The Refreshment Tent is always popular.
For the first time, food was also available from a 'Pizza Van' which used a traditional wood-fired oven. This was a very successful innovation and many people commented favourably on the quality of the pizza.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: A successful innovation in 2017 was the 'Pizza Van', using a traditional wood-fired oven.
Traditional entertainments included wet sponge throwing at a human target and the ever-popular coconut shy. There was also a catapult range and a supervised Under-5 Play Zone.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: Traditional entertainments included wet sponge throwing at a human target.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: The coconut shy is popular with all ages.
The Craft Tent featured the work of a number of local artists and crafters whilst the well-stocked Plants and Produce stall organised by the parish church provided shopping opportunities.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: The Craft Tent featured the work of a number of local artists and crafters.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: The well-stocked Plants and Produce stall organised by the Parish Church provided shopping opportunities.
For the first time, Black Country Live Steamers displayed two marvellous live-steam scale models of traction engines, which created a lot of interest. You can read more about Black Country Live Steamers on their website here.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: Live-steam scale model of a Fowler traction engine, with a young admirer.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: Live-steam scale model of an Allchin traction engine.
An unexpected "visitor" was the preserved World War II Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain Memorial Squadron, which overflew our event. You can read all about this historic arcraft on the website here.
The preserved World War II Lancaster Bomber overflew the Garden Party.
As in previous years, live music was provided by the talented young musicians from the Cannock Wind Band and the Cannock Big Band who are based at the Cannock Performing Arts Centre.
Brewood Garden Party 2017: Live music was provided by the Cannock Wind Band and the Cannock Big Band.
Later, a contingent from the Staffordshire Corps of Drums gave a demonstration. Captain Keates provided a virtuoso drum performance, accompanied by what I call a marching glockenspiel (but which I learn is also known as a Bell Lyre or a Lyra Glockenspiel - see Wikipedia here).
Brewood Garden Party 2017: A contingent from the Staffordshire Corps of Drums gave a performance.
As in previous years, a series of Sack Races and Egg and Spoon Races for children were held and, once again, proved popular. All the entrants were enthusiastically supported by the visitors. Each of the competitors was awarded a selection of confectionery,
Brewood Garden Party 2017: The children entering the Sack Races and Egg and Spoon Races were enthusiastically supported by the visitors.
Everybody agreed that, once again, we'd had a very successful event (and the sun shone). This year, the organising committee made four awards - a special award to Compton Hospice and awards to Brewood Scouts, the Brewood Parish Church and the Jan Ford Foundation.
Reports on earlier garden parties at Brewood Hall
Brewood Vintage Garden Party 2013.
Brewood Vintage Garden Party 2014.
Brewood Garden Party 2015.
Brewood Garden Party 2016.
Related posts
More information on the charitable work supported by the Jan Ford Foundation in Myanmar (formerly Burma) can be found by following the links below:-
Education Support
Medical Support.
Pictures of the event
Where necessary, clicking on an image above will display an 'uncropped' view or, alternately, pictures from may be selected, viewed or downloaded, in various sizes, from the album below:-
Brewood Garden Party 2017.
