An event does not have to be big to be impressive.

Yesterday I decided not to go to the annual marathon to do justice to the Bath and West Show because it is always commercial, or 90% of it anyway, and lots of repetition. So many thousands of people have got their phone on so the atmosphere is toxic to the point of frying my brain. I felt numb and dizzy after a few hours.  4G and 5G are poison.

Today’s event was organised by the Natural Theatre – and it showed. When I looked at their home page there was a great promo video but no sound.   Was this intentional.

This was the Radstock Fayre held in the grounds of St Nicholas Church. Facing the street there is the Swallow centre that provides opportunities for differently able people to learn to interact with the public by serving food and so on.

This was a very small area, less than the average field, and yet it had so many features packed into it but it was a joy to attend. We arrived at pretty much at 11 o’clock and a brass band and entertained us for about an hour.

I’m going to be picky and say that I was distinctly underwhelmed by the poster but fortunately it didn’t have much work to do a part from announcing the date and the day and the times and the location

I have visited this event about four times and I remember Michael Eavis of Glastonbury Fame opened it bless his heart. You can find this if you search in this diary which now is getting on for 9 years in its record keeping. How on earth these people managed to find their way around I don’t know. Did they have secret cameras?

I remember that this lady came along to the event last year; this time she is dressed as a mermaid and managed to get around quite well though I would have difficulty walking on stilts. Anyway she managed in Grand fashion and entertained the children enormously

This was the compost man who had all the elements built into his suit including seeds, worms and even compost coming out of his trousers.

This was a stall from the Avon Wildlife Trust and the enthusiastic volunteer was telling us that it is not funded by government but the work is very important and they are seeking to get monthly donations of say £6 or £10. I passed on that because I already have too many monthly standing orders.

Straw bales of plenty had been laid out on the ground to watch the various entertainments and people were enjoying the sun even though it was a little bit windy and threatening showers at one point

I admit I have never heard of this charity, I can and I am, ; evidently there was some cooking or pizzas inside encouraging youngsters to have a go at cooking; in front of the bus there were people Morris dancing as you see, bells jingling etc

Very good to see the local children making shapes out of reeds which need to be soaked in order to be pliable. The picture below is that of a fish made by Francoise. You cut off all the long bits with secateurs

My overall impression

There is no question that the organizer or organizers are on the ball and have produced a small perfectly formed event just right for children, not too big so children might get lost and not too small that they get bored.

Most of the food on offer in the Swallow Centre was sweet and I would have loved to have some savory food as well and I think it would have gone down a treat. There was one stand selling rather expensive and pretentious meat items.   When you offer a meat burger please make sure that the bread roll is not plastic rubbish.

I can’t list all the stands but they ranged from painting a little item for two pounds, various aspects of nature conservation, someone selling knitting animals, someone telling us about the Vobster Quay for open swimmers, someone was even selling art.

There was no duplication and it was very children friendly and dog friendly. I think they could do a little bit better with advance publicity but in their defense they probably didn’t have that many resources. I would have got the poster out a bit earlier   It was in the Mendip Times.

I spoke to a chap who’d lived in the area all his life and he had never heard of it so perhaps in future years a bit more local publicity wouldn’t do any harm. Overall, well done everybody and I’m looking forward already to next year.

Last night at Tuckers Grave

We had a jolly time last night at Tuckers Grave Inn. The field was pretty much full of campers and we have a chance to talk to 1 or 2 fellow guests.  One couple had a truly portable fire for warmth but not for cooking and they got it for the price of six pounds. Another chap had a two-man tent on the top of his car which was accessed by ladder and could sleep a family. It costs the best part of £2000. I hope they have bladders to last the night.

The atmosphere is very good and you can just wandering and chat to people if you feel so moved and most people are more than happy to exchange a few words with you. It doesn’t matter if you’re on your own or with another person people are still friendly and if anything more sympathetic to the former

We went into the music  barn and I loved that the people could do anything they want on the dance floor, dance to the music, just jig around, or just stand there talking. No one cares what you do or how you dress. It’s a very nice individual place.