Moorlands Village Hall
School Road, Bagnall

BAGNALL CHESTNUT QUEEN FETE

Moorlands Village Hall, School Road, Bagnall

SUN SHINES FOR NEW BAGNALL CHESTNUT QUEEN

Despite weather forecasts of rain, the sun shone for the annual procession and crowning of the new Bagnall Chestnut Queen, nine-year-old Miss Megan Sargeant. After the ceremony Megan's first duty was to officially open the Bagnall Chestnut Queen Fete.

MEGAN SARGEANT IS BAGNALL VILLAGE CHESTNUT QUEEN

New queen, Megan Sargeant, lives in Bagnall and loves to dance and perform. She studies ballet and tap dancing and appeared in the recent production of Adrenaline at the Regent Theatre. She also attends drama classes at the New Vic Theatre. Her other interests include swimming, horse riding and yoga. She is an active member of Endon Brownies and the 'J' Squad held at St. Luke's School. Megan has a cat called Tinkerbell, a goldfish called Bytey and a brother called Tim! She has taken part in the Chestnut retinues in the past and is thrilled to be the Chestnut Queen for 2009/10 and is eager to start her duties. In her retinue are Emma Docksey, Olivia Fritzel, Elouise Ford, Matilda Houston-Brown, Chloe Lovatt, Molly Swift, Poppy Wain and Lottie Waterhouse.

The procession from St. Chad's Church of the new queen, Megan and her retinue and the retiring queen, India Pearson, 10, and her retinue, was led by the children of Impact Percussion Group from Stoke-on-Trent City Music School. The procession visited the chestnut trees on the Village Green for a blessing ceremony before the Chestnut Queen was crowned, by Mr I. Goodwin, in a ceremony that took place in the grounds of the Moorlands Village Hall. Mr Goodwin is the headteacher of Megan's school, Endon Hall Primary School. The service was led by the Rev. Anne Gibson and during the service the audience was entertained by two pieces of music performed by the choir of Endon Hall Primary School.

The fete helps to raise funds to maintain the Moorlands Village Hall building in School Road, Bagnall that serves the communities of Bagnall, Light Oaks and Baddeley Edge. During the ceremony a cheque for £1940.00 was accepted by Lucy Neat, on behalf of the Moorlands Village Hall Committee, from the retiring queen, India Pearson. The cheque represents the money raised throughout the year by the Queen's Fund at a number of community fundraising events during her year in office. These events included a Quiz Night, Table Top and Cake Bake Sales, a Christmas Soiree and a Race Night held at the Village Hall and village treasure hunt and a fundraising Indian meal.

At the Village Hall and on the Parish Field visitors enjoyed the stalls and games which included swing boats, a bouncy castle, coconut shy, wellie wanging hook-a-duck and a football game. Crowds were treated to a delightful display of maypole dancing by the children of Endon Hall Primary School and were entertained by an excellent performance by the Florence Brass Band. Lively and varied music was also supplied by a traditional barrel organ. The Stoke-on-Trent Classic Car Club attended the fete with a display of fine cars and Simon the Clown entertained the younger visitors with very skilled balloon modelling. The Stoke Risk Reduction/Orange Watch Hanley attended the fete with a fire engine which was greatly appreciated by many young visitors.

Elsewhere in the village, St Chad's Church was open to visitors and held a flower festival and organ and flute, oboe music performed by David and Mary Charlesworth from Kempsey in Worcestershire. Susan and Julian Beynon's beautiful garden at Bleak House was open to the public to raise funds for the Village Hall and St Chad's Church.

A fete has been held in the village since the 1920s in the form of a traditional agricultural fayre and originally featured the crowning of a Rose Queen. The Chestnut Queen fete revives these traditions and was established in 1997, on the centenary of the planting of five chestnut trees on the Bagnall village green to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 - the trees give their name to this new ceremony.

Chair of the fete committee, Samantha Calvert, said "Despite the forecasts of thunderstorms it was a very hot day and the sun shone on our newly crowned Chestnut Queen. The fete was busy all afternoon with record crowds! It is too soon to know the final figures at this stage but early indications suggest that we have raised a good sum of money for our village hall. As a free event, it is difficult to be sure of the figures but they were clearly our highest ever with perhaps as many as 700 people visiting our village. We were particularly pleased to hear many positive comments about how well-organised our event was and how it reminds people of how 'fetes used to be'. In these recessionary times there is a huge demand for traditional, home-grown entertainment that offers free parking, free admission and a free programme and lots to see and do without charge." Samantha was also anxious to stress that the Fete Committee is appealing to local people to come along to fete meetings and get involved in organising next year's event: "Volunteering at the fete is a great way to get to know your neighbours and to give something back to your local area. It's also very rewarding to be involved in a successful event." Anyone wishing to offer their time would be warmly welcomed. More information about volunteering to help at the fete can be obtained by leaving a message at the Moorlands Village Hall on 01782 502161 or emailing fete@moorlands-hall.org.uk

Call/email Sam Calvert (Chair of Bagnall Chestnut Queen Fete Committee) using the details below.

Sam Calvert on: 01782 505430

or email at fete@moorlands-hall.org.uk

2009 Role of Bagnall Fete Winners

Notes to editors:

· A photograph of Megan Sargeant is available. Please call Sam Calvert on 01782 505430 or email sam@samcalvert.plus.com. A selection of vintage photographs of the Rose Queens of Bagnall is also available. For more information please contact Sam Calvert.

· The Moorlands Village Hall is a registered charity. There are around ten regular bookings at the hall which provide the community with facilities to try everything from rock band practice to dog training. The hall is also available for private hire for weddings, parties and meetings.

· The Chestnut Queen is chosen each year from among the Retinue and she attends several community functions during the year that aim to raise funds for the Village Hall.

Serving the communities of Bagnall, Light Oaks & Baddeley Edge.

Charity Registration Number: 500639