Platinum Jubilee Review – Sunday 5th June 2022 – Church Service and Street Party

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Church Service

Another two events on this day. A well- attended Church Service (Songs of Praise) commenced at 10.30am with songs chosen by those present, and accompanied by Chris Miles on the organ. The service was led by Lesley Birtwistle who gave a short message.

Hymns ranged from the quiet and reflective to the rousing and powerful. For example, “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”, “Jerusalem”, “I Vow to Thee My Country” and “How Great Thou Art”. In all, eleven songs were sung including the National Anthem at the end of the Service.

Packington says “Thank you, Lesley” for organising this service.

Street Party

The dry weather left us on the day we most needed it. Organisers pulled the plug on the street part of the event the night before and let as many as possible know via social media that it would be a children and parent event in the Memorial Hall starting at 2pm. It proved a good decision as the drizzle and cold persisted all day.

All children had a seat at tables and were served food and drink, whilst the bar was open for the adults. The Balloon Man was in demand, and he managed to fashion some amazing requests from the young people. His hands and fingers were moving incredibly fast, and he worked throughout the afternoon. Just brilliant!

A fancy-dress parade took place in the centre of the hall and the winners were presented with a prize from Bev from Poochies Café, who not only sponsored this event but also made all ninety food boxes. Thank you, Bev.

Platinum Jubilee Review – Saturday 4th June 2022 – Party in the Park

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Party Time! at the evening Packington Platinum Jubilee Party in the Park – camouflaged village residents pose for a photo..

The evening Packington Platinum Jubilee Party in the Park on Saturday 4th June 2022 was another major village event. The wind was a little wearing, with blankets and thick coats in evidence, but a large circle of gazebos and tented windbreaks had quickly sprung up in a ring, focussed on the live music in the trailer from a very special local Ashby group of musicians. Much fancy dress was evident, and folk were seen enjoying themselves from 6pm until almost dark at ten pm.

In case the picture albums below give the impression of the Party in the Park as a sedentary evening, there was plenty of energetic activity to take part in as well!

Tap or Click on an image in the gallery below for higher-definition !

Platinum Jubilee Review – Saturday 4th June 2022 – Strawberry Cream Tea afternoon: 2 – 4pm

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Calm before the storm – hours of work and preparation by the volunteer team have ensured that Memorial Hall tables are now beautifully decked and laid, ready for the expected 70 Jubilee Cream Tea customers
Strawberries ready too – volunteer picked, transported, washed, cored, plated, for those 70 people
Village Stalwarts – octogenarians Sylvie and Mike Coke – leave The Grange for their Strawberry Cream Tea at Memorial Hall. Mike is Editor of the bi-monthly village magazine. Packington Post, delivered FREE to all 405 village dwellings
Robin Boucher, chair of the village History Group PVHG, beside the group’s static display of 1950s-related Jubilee memorabilia, coins, and exhibits
Strawberry time – volunteer Pam from Century Drive serves cream and strawberries for Babelake Street residents Ginny and Bob Miller
Amazing volunteer Betty from Normanton Road serving strawberries to Faun from The Grange
Nicola Watson teaches music, as well as playing delightfully in the background, flanked by projected slides of 1950s magazine adverts. This was her second Jubilee appearance, after the Friday Musical Extravaganza
Just some of the fabulous team of Volunteers, organised by Debbie Hamilton, at far Right.
At the conclusion of the event, the volunteers receive a hearty round of applause and cheers from the very satisfied and satiated cream-tea customers

Platinum Jubilee Review – Friday 3rd June 2022 – Musical Extravaganza Evening

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7 pm for 7:30 – Villagers assembled in the Memorial Hall await their evening meal

The Fish & Chip Van arrives

The Fish and Chip Van was brilliant. They served ninety meals within the hour, and everyone thought they were delicious.

Fish and chips with forks .. £7 with or without mushy peas.. Mmm .. conversation has ceased as folk tuck in..

Towards the end of the meal, Packington’s resident saxophonist, Nicola, played some terrific well-known tunes. By the end of her show many of her audience were humming or singing along

Nicola Watson plays familiar tunes – as the food was consumed, we were able to join-in with them
Robin Boucher, chair of Packington Village History Group PVHG

Robin gave without notes a word-perfect, rhyming monologue with recollections of times in the early years of her Majesty’s reign. It was amazing content, funny, poignant and for some of us triggering memories of days long past, such as: “.. and Dennis Compton, free from care, rubs more Brylcreem in his hair..”

Platinum Jubilee Review – Friday 3rd June 2022 – Packington Tree-planting

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A small gathering of thirty people saw the Platinum Jubilee Oak planted in the new North-West graveyard, together with a commemorative plaque. This marked the start of what the village hopes will be the first of many trees planted in this Jubilee year. It will form a response to the Queen’s wish for a Green Canopy.

Chris Miles, Robert Martin, and Lesley Birtwistle prior to the planting
The Reverend Lesley Birtwistle has served our village for decades, now is a retired priest at the village church

Lesley quoted “The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.” (Rabindranath Tagore)

Chris Miles, Chair of our Parish Council for decades, holds the new oak tree ready

Lesley Birtwhistle presided over the proceedings while Chris Miles, the Chairman of the Parish Council, added a few words. Then with the help of Councillor Robert Martin the oak tree was in place, and we hope it will be present for many, many years.

The memorial plaque unveiled

Platinum Jubilee Review – Thursday 2nd June 2022 – Packington Rounders & Beacon Lighting

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Over forty participants played a Rounders Tournament from 7 pm – and really enjoyed this typically English game. Each game lasted 30 minutes. Teams with a mixture of youth and experience played, some slogged the ball for miles, others put in massive amounts of energy but missed completely!

A sizeable crowd supported the games. Encouraging words were shouted, giving the event a real feel-good factor. “We should do more of this” was said by many. The winning team, “The Golden Oldies“ won all their matches. The team included

  • Bailey Baker,
  • Tom Dallow,
  • Olivia Dallow,
  • Samuel Sharpe,
  • Joe Tebbett,
  • Fin Brown,
  • Lucas Brown and
  • Anthony Brown, plus three or four more players shying away from media coverage.
The beacon being prepared

As the daylight began to fade the tractor making final preparations to the beacon arrived. Matt, our newly crowned “Fire Master”, balanced the final sections of the beacon in place and with the aid of his “Cherry Picker” he began preparations to light the beacon.

The beacon has just been lit

Bang on 9.45pm, when all the beacons in the country were lit, so was Packington’s. With the aid of the Cherry Picker, the eight metre-tall wooden construction was lit at the top and within seconds it was a mass of flames, licking further upwards towards the sky:

A brilliant job; “more like a beacon than a beacon”, “wow!”, “What a sight!” said viewers. Phones were out taking pictures and in a few short minutes the whole structure was alight. Well done to Matt, Bob and Dave, who had helped with this successful project.

and – Well done everybody. A great evening!

Big Breakfast 2022 – Saturday 5th March 9am to 1pm

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Many of us think this is THE major village event, each year bringing village folk together for a memorable occasion. Many of us enjoy the breakfasts, but also enjoy helping with the event as volunteers. This year Debbie Hamilton is organising, and will be delighted if you can assist, and happy too if you can come and enjoy the breakfast, with profit going this year to local charity Hospice Hope. Here are the details:

See you there?

Book Launch and Signing – Saturday 4th December 2021 – 10 am to 1 pm, at Memorial Hall

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Our Packington Village History Group PVHG is to publish a new book about life in the inter-war years in our village. Prepared from archive recordings of interviews two decades ago of village elderly residents, the new book is to be launched on Saturday 4th December 2021, at the Memorial Hall meeting room, from 10 am to 1 pm.

2021 Packington Children’s Christmas Party! (Now sold out)

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UPDATE: SOLD OUT

This is the first year we have ran this event and we have been overwhelmed by the support the event has been shown. Unfortunately due to venue capacity and the need to ensure everyone gets to meet Santa, we are no longer able to accept any further registrations. If you want to be added to the cancellation list or notified of next years event please submit your details using the form below.

MEET Santa Claus | See REAL reindeer | DANCE at the Christmas Disco | PLAY Christmas party games | SHOP the Christmas Stalls | EAT and DRINK Festive Refreshments

Introducing the first annual Packington Children’s Christmas Party, organised by a satellite group of Ashby Rotary Club with all proceeds going to local charities including, “Rainbows”, “Wishes for Kids” and other Rotary charities.

The party will take place on Saturday, December 18th between 14:30 and 18:00 at Packington Memorial Hall. Children will be able to meet Santa and some of his reindeers, as well as having fun playing party games being organised by a children’s entertainer and dancing away at the disco. There will also be a range of Christmas stalls and festive refreshments for children and adults. 

The event will be free of charge, with all the children receiving a small gift from Santa, but any donations made would be very much appreciated.  Spaces are limited but you can reserve your tickets by clicking here.

🔥 2021 Packington Bonfire Party 🔥

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We are all excited for the return of the annual Packington Bonfire Party on Friday 5th November. The bonfire will be lit as near to 7pm as possible and there will be two sessions of display fireworks. In the interval there will be a sparkler session for youngsters accompa­nied by an adult, this will be free of charge. 

Entry will be via the top entrance to the play-area, on Vicarage Lane. If you park in the Recreation Ground car park, please walk up Vicarage Lane to this entrance, it is a safer access in the dark. The event itself is free but we shall ask you for a donation, which can be gift-aided, and will help the charity to pursue its aims. 

Hot dogs, burgers, punch and drinks can be pur­chased, and we hope you all have an enjoyable time. Please come and support this event no matter what the weather. There will be over £750 of display fire­ works – the charity had to pay a hefty £400 insurance premium to stage this bonfire, so we need to see the whole of Packington on the Recreation Ground.

Please DO NOT BRING ANY OF YOUR OWN FIREWORKS to this event. This includes sparklers. It is a condition of the insurance that only authorised fireworks are displayed, in a safe and secure environment.

Proposed Development of 11 New Homes at Ashby Road, Packington – Initial Information

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Above: Initial Draft of the proposed development

The Developer’s agent, Andrew Large Surveyors of Staunton Harold, are to hold an informal drop-in display and presentation in our village Memorial Hall at 6 pm – 7:30 pm on Tuesday 12th October. David Harris-Watkins with colleagues of the Surveyors will be there to explain the proposal, and to take note of any suggestions or amendments from village residents.

Plan view above of the site of the proposed development
With thanks to Google Maps for this excellent satellite view of the proposed development site

Duck Races – Major Excitement on Bank Holiday Evening !

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Bank Holiday Monday – 30th August 2021 – saw intense excitement at the annual Packington Duck Race, when the coulmn of leading ducks stalled at the last ten metres of Gilwiskaw Brook – slowed, then reversed by a strong breeze from the South!

Duck Steward Chris Miles had been following the leaders, and using his microphone to inform the large audience of excited children – and excited adults too – of the running order of duck numbers, but the sudden reversal caused astonishment.

Eventually a winning coterie of several huddled-together ducks crossed the finish line, and thus the Winning Numbers in Race One were: 133, then 140, third 25.

The second race saw similar heart-stopping changes in duck-leadership, with the eventual result: winner 213, then 247, third 191.