Jubilee party

MORE than 1,000 people partied in the streets of Lewes on Monday afternoon to celebrate the Queen's jubilee in style.

The rain held off by a thread as local residents put out trestle tables, laden with sandwiches, jelly and snacks, held children's competitions and made merry.

Biggest of them all was probably The Lewes Arms street party which drew more than 300 merry-makers listening to music of the 50s, a jazz band and a blues band.

The adult fancy dress competition was won by Chris Scott (Everyone's Mum!). Second were Wendy Wheeler and Sarah Clowes; third was Paul Wheeler.

The children's fancy dress was won by Cassian Young, a two-month-old King of Hearts; second was Ellie Barton as the Queen.

Wendy Wheeler and Georgia Kent won the adult and junior pass-the-parcel respectively.

A street party for St Peter's Place and St Anne's Hill residents drew more than 150 people who had plenty of food and drink. Children had fun with egg-and-spoon and three-legged races.

A surplus of 150 collected will go to the Martlets Hospice in Hove.

More than 200 Southover residents partied in Priory Street to jazz and cover bands. A substantial sum was raised for Lewes Victoria Hospital.

There were also children's competition, a pet competition and a highly successful raffle.

Breakfast

In Houndean Rise the festivities started with breakfast for early risers. Eldest resident Connie Elphick, 92, was made Queen of the Rise and was presented with a bouquet by youngest resident, Matthew, aged not quite one.

Christine and Peter Morrison won a fancy dress on wheels competition and there was also a treasure hunt, cheese and wine, two garden parties, early evening cocktails and a public barbecue for 140 people.

Street celebrations were also booked for Valence Road, Leicester Road and Winterbourne Lane.

Hundreds of Ringmer residents joined a Mad Hatter's Tea Party outside the village's post office on Friday.

More than 200 was raised for Newick's Headway Hurstwood Park brain injury unit.

Food was supplied by Ringmer residents and there was a tombola and raffle.

Postmistress Jenny Marshall dressed up as Alice and husband Paul as the Mad Hatter.

Elsewhere in the village, there were two street parties. One in Manor Close and Ballard Drive drew some 50 residents who brought refreshments and organised games for the children. Another 30 joined a party in Langham Close where there were also refreshments, a barbecue and music.

Some 300 people attended a barbecue and barn dance organised by the parish and Baptist churches. A congregation of 150 also attended a joint service at the parish church.

Newick went scarecrow-crazy in honour of the Queen.

Eighty-eight scarecrows were entered in a jubilee competition and more than 1,000 was raised by the Newick support group of St Peter and St James Hospice, North Chailey.

At least 800 people walked a 'scarecrow trail' and used voting sheets to decide the winners.

One Oldaker Road resident produced an entry made up of a pallet, bricks and cement and labelled it 'Scarecrow on loan from the Tate Modern'!

Winners: Childrens group section, Newick Primary School puffin class; individual child, Sarah Dewhurst; individual adult, Glenda Blackaller who also won the prize for the most inventive use of material (metal foil); adult group, Newick Day Centre; business winner, The Bull Inn; family winner, the Carters; best 'Queen' scarecrow, David and Kathy Wickens; best Royal, Ian and Pat Hawkes; best village personality, Newick Green WI.

There was also a massive and heavily supported programme of events in the village from a bonfire dinner with fireworks to a craft fair, and from a civic service to a French caf and children's races.

Health-conscious Kingston villagers ran over the Downs and through the streets as part of their jubilee celebrations.

The 25th two-mile Downland race was won by Ian Donald in 16 minutes 4 seconds. Second was Hamid Raushanzam and third was Bob Hughes.

The children's winner was Peter Martin, 11, who came in sixth. The family prize was won by the Pewters and the first woman home was Jenny Elliott.

As well as chilldren's races, there was also an inter-street race through the village which was won by The Avenue.

Thankfully, there was also time for a barbecue, an exhibition of Kingston memorablia at the village hall, stoolball between teenagers and parents (won by the teenagers), the lighting of the beacon on Kingston Ridge and a firework display.

The jubilee also marked the launch of the village's new website on www.kingstonvillage.org.

l More reports on the Parish Pump pages, 31-33.