To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee the Catcott Village Association organised the closure of Steel Lane to allow the villagers of Catcott to get together for the Big Platinum Lunch.
Everyone was keeping their eye on the weather forecast which was looking doubtful but the whole of Steel Lane was closed at 10 am and people started to set up tables and chairs, flags and bunting and gazebos just in case.
The festivities started with the announcement of the winners of the Spring Garden Competition which was won by Gerry Wheeler. There was a cake baking competition which was won by Jill Tompkins. The cup cake decorating competition for children was won by Dulce Scrivens and Ian Bradford won the cheese scone baking competition for the Gentlemen. The village scarecrow competition which had 14 entries across the village was voted on by the people at the street party and the result was a tie for first place between Jill Tompkins and Ian and Anna Bradford.
The whole street toasted Her Majesty at 2:30 and gave a rousing rendition of God Save The Queen followed by three hearty cheers.
Street games were being played by young and old alike, with “guess the number of sweets in the jar”, quoits, mini golf, “get the bean bag through the hole” and a “pin the tail on the Corgi” among the tests of skill and aim on offer.
People were going from table to table desperately trying to get the answers to an ice breaker bingo card full of unusual things associated with people in the village. It turned out some of them were not so unusual as several people had been held up at gunpoint and more than one had crossed into East Germany through Check Point Charlie! But it did get people talking.
A great time was had by all and the expected rain did not arrive until it was almost all over and people had already started to pack up to head home.
Many thanks to the Catcott Village Association for organising such a successful event.
Special thanks to Jennie for her brilliant painting for the “Pin the Tail on the Corgi” competition, to Gerry Wheeler for putting two of his wonderful old limousines on display and to Bridgwater Carnival for the loan of street closure signs and barriers.
