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View
our photo gallery of pics from the Fayre
 It
was the first time the Eastfield estate had had anything like the
Fayre, even though the tiniest villages in the area have regular
summer fetes and fayres, Eastfield's 8,500 tenants and residents
got their wish at last, thanks to a great deal of hard work from
the McCain Sports and Social Club committee, led by Jane White and
Alan Combs, with much help from Paul Radcliff and countless others.
The
BBC's Voices project came along in February, too see if we could
help the people of Eastfield get what was for them long overdue,
and in talking to companies on the estate, all of whom have been
so supportive, it turned out the McCain team had been hoping to
get a similar event off the ground.
What
people were hoping for, as they told us at every opportunity, was
something to bring the community together.
On
the day, I arrived at 7am to talk to Adam Tomlinson on his breakfast
show about what visitors could expect. Looking up, I saw a clear,
blue sky; lovely, but would it last? A quick detour to the bookshop
for copies of Harry Potter for two deserving children and then back
to the McCain Sports ground…all 30 acres of it.
A steady
stream of vehicles was arriving on the site; the TA in their field
ambulance, North Yorkshire County Council's Discovery Bus, full
of computers to have a go on, the Connecting Youth Culture mobile
studio, for the kids to learn how to mix music…there were bouncy
castles, Punch and Judy, circus skills, crazy rides, food trucks…
The
Eastfield Summer Fayre was opened by McCain's Ian Cameron, the company's
Canadian Technical Director, with the assistance of The Musketeers
marching band, splendid in their red and orange uniforms.
Throughout
the day, the crowds loved the Obstacle Race, through beans, sawdust
and water, down a slippery inflatable to pick up a duck, pop a balloon
and back to the start. Westway Boxing Club did very nicely, thank
you. All the different age groups involved in The Rowlies dance
group put on a fabulously professional show, and around mid-day,
the Great North Air Ambulance dropped in to the excitement of the
crowds, allowing the younger visitors to climb in the cockpit.
There
was much support from the local RSPCA, The Prince's Trust, The Samaritan
and other organisations.
It
was a scorcher…and a lot of people went away as tanned as if
they'd been to the Mediterranean.
Was
it a success? Well, more than 2,000 people came along for free,
and the McCain Sports and Social Club committee reckoned that was
as good an indication as any that they would be back next year,
bigger and better…and that's where we hope to be, too.
Have
a look at the selection of pictures, all taken by your Eastfield
Voices producer… And we'd love to hear what you thought of
the fayre…just post your comments on the Voices
Message Board.
View
our photo gallery of pics from the Fayre
Matt
Watkinson
Voices Producer, BBC North Yorkshire
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