BLACKTHORN VILLAGE SOCIAL COMMITTEE
Please allow me to introduce you to the Blackthorn Village Social Committee.
History
There have been various Social Committees over the years in our village.
Going back to the seventies they were used as much as anything for fund raising in order to purchase the village hall which was originally the village school.
The events that were held were well attended and quite successful and were certainly on a grander scale than those that we have now.
However when I first moved to the village in 1994 there was little in the way of socialising, the Rose and Crown was closed at the end of 1994 and the other pub, the Royal Oak in Station Road, had long since closed it’s doors to customers.
The Social Committee as we know it today began in the Queens Golden Jubilee year of 2002.
The local government awarded the village, via the parish Council, a small sum of around £500 to “do something” to celebrate the Golden Jubilee.
Residents of Blackthorn needed no further encouragement and a small group was formed to organise a Fete with a Street Party. I have to say that what we lacked in experience of organising such an event was more than made up for by the enthusiasm demonstrated by the villagers.
The event was a great success and confirmed all our suspicions that Blackthorn needed some form of permanent Social Committee.
The Village benefited hugely from the influx of new people brimming with ideas, willingness and enthusiasm and this allowed us to form a committee which still exists today.
Aims
As a group, our primary aim is to organise several events throughout the year that allow people from the village to socialise and develop their friendship with fellow villagers.
We do not need to make much profit, it is felt that as long as the events we organise break even and we can offer good value fun for everyone then we have succeeded in our main aim.
The small profits that we do realise have been put back into the village in several ways:
Firstly we purchased a 6m x 10m marquee which allows us to hold bigger events at the village hall whose seated capacity is a maximum of 55. This allows us to cater for as many as 120 people at events held at this location;
We also purchased a large BBQ so that we don’t have to borrow one from anybody for these events;
We also provide and erect a Christmas tree outside the village hall each year, and there were new lights purchased this year as well.
Finally, each year, and with help from the Parish Council, we have been able to give the senior citizens in the village a Christmas present in the form of a Voucher that they can use at Tesco.
Events
Typically, throughout the year we hold the following events:
February: Quiz Night at the village hall
Spring: Litter day
Early summer: BBQ party at the village hall
Mid summer: A camping trip has been organised over the past few years.
Late summer: Evening Party at the village hall. Usually Themed with Fancy Dress!!
Christmas: Christmas tree
The events are all well attended, even when we have had poor weather!
Typically the BBQ and Late Summer party see around 120 or so people. The fancy dress is always excellent and at this event we have a licensed bar as well as food and a Disco.
For those that prefer to stay in touch more regularly, you may like to spend an evening at the Bull in Launton (the one on the corner). We have an informal arrangement to meet there for drinks on the first Friday of each month. Attendance varies for this, sometimes there are 20 people, sometimes just 4 or 5. But it’s always good fun to catch up with everybody and we really look forward to it.
We are always open to suggestions and you may want to pop along to one of our meetings. You can usually see when they are by looking in the Parish News.
We tend to use the Parish News as our main advertising medium, but hopefully
this website should also have a diary of events on as well. Please also keep an eye out for any flyers that we may put through your door advertising events.
Our meetings are very informal, normally involving about 6 or 8 people and you are welcome to bring along a bottle of wine or beer. They are normally held on Wednesdays as and when we feel we need to have one.
If you do come along, be prepared to leave with some jobs though!
I hope that this introduction has given you an insight into this vibrant committee.
If you would like to know any more, then please come along to our events and ask.
Thanks for your time.
John Thompson.
Chairman, Blackthorn Village Social Committee.