‘Help For Heroes’ BBQ
The Barker Summer BBQ has been around for some time and is a well known feature of summer in these parts.
Previous years have seen us basking in sunshine beneath blue skies, our guests scrabbling for a place in the shade. On only one occasion have we been virtually ‘washed out.’ That was a challenge!
With Dave manning the barbeque outside, beneath a hurriedly erected gazebo, the rest of us huddled indoors. At least, most of us did. The children still insisted on running through the rain to play on the bouncy castle and some intrepid teenagers managed to join them. The guest list had dwindled somewhat as some people assumed that we would cancel the event due to the weather.
Not us!
The following year, having learnt from our experience, we hired a marquee, a covered bouncy castle and a live band to entertain us. The sun shone unremittingly and all sides of the marquee were raised because it was so hot within.
Since then we have had pretty good weather for our annual summer bash. It was fingers crossed for this year…
The previous week was one of the wettest on record. Rain lashed down, temperatures dropped. We watched the weather forecast with anxious eyes. Miraculously, Friday ‘dried up’ and Saturday dawned sunny and reasonably warm if a little windy.
The musician we had hired for the evening had travelled down from Nottingham and was brilliant. Despite temperatures dipping a little towards evening, he kept his audience entertained even if they were, by now, sporting a fleece or two.
The rain stayed away and although some of our guests left before hyperthermia could set in, we managed to raise an extremely respectable, £510.27p So, a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who made that possible!
As we climbed the stairs to bed at 2 a.m. we were already planning next year’s ‘Barker Bash’.
Better start checking the weather forecast now…
Debbie
I am an Author, wife to one, mother to five and grandmother to six. I live in the English countryside in Hampshire, UK, with my husband and two dogs and am a non exec Director for Glow www.theglowstudio.com.
One Comment
Katie Gates
You always make me feel as if I am there, and this time, I was envious not to be there! What fun and what a worthy cause. My niece’s partner (and the father of my great niece) recently joined the British army (they live in Scotland and he’s a Scot). He was an “Army brat” growing up, so although the economy and his inability to find work facilitated the decision, it is not one he made unwillingly. Still, though, it makes me so nervous for him. Prayers to him and to all the heroes.