After a two-year hiatus due to Covid restrictions, the Sampford Arundel Fête and Flower Show once again took place on Saturday 23 July in the village hall, and a record sum of £2,500 was raised for village organisations.

The fête kicked off in lively style with a superb display by the Wellington majorettes followed by Wellington Silver Band who played a delightful selection of music throughout the afternoon which created a most enjoyable background atmosphere to the proceedings.

The band’s playing was much loved and commented on by many people including a couple who have been going to Sampford fete for years, who said: “It was lovely to sit on the green, enjoy a cream tea and listen to the band.”

Sampford prides itself on staging a traditional village fete and this year’s event upheld those traditions admirably with all the usual stalls and activities one expects at a village fete and this year even more.

There was, tombola, a crockery smash. You could guess the name of the toy monkey to take him home and a raffle to win a giant stuffed lion. Both animals were won by the same young lad.

The bottle stall proved popular (WWN)

Children loved the bouncy castle and adults the ‘human fruit machine’ and ‘play your cards right’ game. The ‘water or wine’ lucky dip did a roaring trade and the bottle stall was as always very popular. So too was the plant stall run by Sampford gardening club and the excellent cake stall run by the WI.

The show attracted over 200 entries across the flower, floral art, fruit and vegetables, cookery, handicraft and children’s sections.

Beautiful flower displays (WWN)

All entries were of a very high standard and made an eye-catching display in the hall, which was decorated with bunting, and attracted a large number of visitors throughout the afternoon.

The organisers thanked the judges - Sheena and Stephen Page, Alison Spiller and Mary Summers – for their expertise and diligence in undertaking the difficult task of selecting placements.

Judges Sheena and Stephen Page (WWN)

Trophies were awarded to the following exhibitors:

Kit Pollard : Mary Rowland Cup for the most outstanding Children’s exhibit; a vegetable sculpture.

Kit Pollard : Junior Challenge Shield for most points scored in the Children’s section

Jane Dickins : Floral Art Cup, for most outstanding Floral Art exhibit

Susan Matthews : Silver Jubilee Championship Cup, for most points scored by an exhibitor

Susan Matthews : Sampford Arundel Gardening Club Perpetual Cup, for most outstanding exhibit in Fruit and Vegetable section

Susan Matthews : Women’s Institute Shield for Cookery and Handicrafts

Susan Bellringer : Tony Spiller Cup for most outstanding Flower exhibit.

Visitors admiring some of the cookery entries (WWN)

Records show that a fête of one sort or another has been held in Sampford for almost 100 years making it one of the oldest in Somerset.

“We were determined to make this year’s fete bigger and better than ever, with more fun stalls and more craft stalls offering something of interest for all ages. Judging by the number of compliments we received both on the day and afterwards I think our ambition was realised,” said John Troake, fête committee chairman.