Over the years many events and activities have been run in the village. Some have been organised by the Church and some by the Parish and more recently the CLP group.
Regular events have been summer fairs and the last three years have had the Annual Picnic. Open gardens, safari suppers, scarecrow competitions, boules evenings plus halloween and Christmas parties for kids have all featured strongly over the years. In April 2011 the village had a big celebration for the Royal Wedding and another in 2012 for the Queen’s Jubilee in June.
The Red Lion has featured heavily in these events and has also run its own fancy dress parties, quiz nights music nights and festivals.
Below are some write-ups of a few of these older events and if you have memories that you want to share with regard to past events please email us the details. for more recent events click on NEWS and read the archives.
For more recent events see what’s been written in the News and Latest News sections.
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Larkrise 2010 a very enjoyable evening.
The Black Fox Band were excellent, with the music absolutely filling the space. There were opportunities for the audience to sing along with the band and many people stayed to join in the country dancing. The children’s garland procession was lovely with them all dressed for the occasion and many members of the audience joined in the spirit of the evening, also dressing in appropriate costumes.
The Church had been rearranged so that the band played amidst the side arches and the 100 chairs which had been laid out facing them were nearly all filled.
People were very complimentary as they left, both over the quality of the entertainment and the versatile space that the Church now provides.
Secret Stratton September 2010
Secret Stratton was an excellent new event for the village to add to the many new activities which have been introduced over the years. We were fortunate to have a good day on the Saturday but the cold and damp on the Sunday did deter some people. Those that came were impressed for all sorts of reasons. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves with the farm activities, the pony rides, the opportunities to visit the aviaries, model railway and to get up close to the lovely Shetland ponies AND to get to solve the fiendishly clever quiz devised by Celia Pearson. The parents were equally impressed that their children could be so inexpensively entertained!
Whilst still enjoying all the farm activities the adults were mainly amazed at the sheer amount of talent on display from the villagers, with the villagers themselves being equally impressed. In all we managed to raise over £1750, with a quarter being allocated to provide a water pump for a named village in Mozambique.
Thank you to everyone who put in so much time and effort, Jackie for organizing the raffle, the Godington gang who managed to cover most of the cream tea support on the Sunday and the Stratton people who covered the Saturday teas, baked cakes and sold tickets, and to Maggie and John for their work in erecting marquees and gazebos. Particularly, though, thank you to everyone who put in so much work on the exhibits, Carolyn and Simon Goss and Robin Davies (who put in an extra stint at milking) for the success of the farm experience, the Adams family and all their helpers for the pony activities and all the artists and craftspeople for their wonderful work. We may do something similar again – but not just yet.
Lace Making Talk October 2010
There was a good and appreciative audience for Beryl’s talk on the history and making of lace, particularly in relation to Stratton Audley. She had gathered information on the numbers of lace makers in the village going back to 1841 and was able to compare them to the other activities undertaken by girls and young women during the next 50 years. Many of those described as lace makers seemed to have moved into the village from other areas, particularly Buckinghamshire, probably family members of the farm and stable workers who settled here.
Throughout the evening there were two ladies who gave practical demonstrations of making lace and wonderful displays of lace pillows, bobbins and original hand-made Victorian lace, much made by Beryl’s grandmother. It was a very interesting talk and very well received.
Royal Wedding Day April 2011
The 29th of April 2011 started overcast and chilly as a few volunteers completed the bunting hanging, took delivery of the bouncy castle and prepared the Church for the afternoon teas.
As eleven o’clock approached some villagers took advantage of Frank’s “Glass of bubbly and bacon roll” deal and settled down to share the Royal Wedding experience in the Red Lion; whilst others did their own thing with family and friends at home.
The weather picked up and the sun made an appearance as village children started to take advantage of the bouncy castle and games provided in the Manor grounds.
As the afternoon progressed people ventured out to stretch their legs and enjoy the complimentary teas and scones in the Church – the final visitors were forced to stay on and drink more tea whilst a huge storm swept through the village!
Overall the day was successful but low key – we are saving ourselves, you see – for the Diamond Jubilee…..
Many thanks to the Parish Council for providing the bouncy castle and teas and to Nash’s Bakery for the delicious scones.
Livestock 2011
A pint sized music festival in the garden of a Country Pub, the Red Lion in Stratton Audley.
Putting the boot into ’boutique festival’ – Downhome country bands, an International Food Fair, Morris Dancers and a whole lot more.
Livestock, usually held in August, will lie fallow for 2012 & will be back later………..
Diamond Jubilee June 2012
Village Picnic 2012
