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After eighteen months of organising, Saturday September 8th, 2007 arrived – the day of our 25th Birthday Bash celebrations. The culmination of all our work started at eleven-o-clock when Chris, Margaret, Ron and I arrived at Minstead Hall in the New Forest and began unloading our handmade decorations and associated paraphernalia (string, scissors, Blue-Tac, glue, tape, drawing pins and the Lord knows what else) from our cars. By a quarter to twelve the team of club helpers had arrived to get stuck into decorating the hall and stage and preparing the refreshment area. For two hours they sang smiled and ‘discussed’ their way through the allocated tasks.
By 2pm, the work was done and we were all scrambling into the changing rooms (toilets & rear of stage!) to put on our square dance clothes. Carol was waiting in the foyer, gently persuading our guests to buy raffle tickets for a wonderful array of prizes, many having been donated by club members.
By half past two, the party was set to go. James was on stage, the music was awaiting the push of a button, the dancers were squaring up and after a brief introduction from me, it was all systems GO! From the outset, the atmosphere was electric, over 130 invited guests (including two past Presidents of the Association, Dave Kerslake and John Webb) were either dancing, renewing old acquaintances, chatting, reminiscing, laughing or generally having a good time. Some of the guests hadn’t danced for years and others had stopped dancing for health reasons but it didn’t really matter. They were here for a party…………..and a party they got! From half past two to four o-clock it was dancing, dancing, dancing. When James rested, Rob Branson took over. Ron and Brenda called rounds in between the squares and the first half was brought to a close by Ron Hebden’s rousing version of ‘The Gold Rush Is Over, The Square Dance Has Begun’ (a special request by my better half).
Now it was time for everybody to form an orderly queue at ‘José, Do and Joan’s Olde English Tea Shoppe’ where an enormous variety of pot luck goodies awaited our taste buds. It was worth coming to our Birthday Bash just for the grub. Just to keep everyone on their toes (and save more time for dancing) we called the raffle whilst everyone was eating. And then………it was back to dancing!
Time moved on so quickly and soon we had to break again for a photo session with dancers from our opening evening 25 years ago followed by other photo sessions with past and present members and friends. And then it was time to cut the lovely cake and serve it with the wine and, of course, we had to get some more dancing done. Sadly 5.30pm came all to soon but we ended the afternoon on a high – James belting his way through ‘The Devil Came Down From Georgia’ as party poppers cracked and exploded everywhere. Wow……what an afternoon!
Ron and I cannot close without a sincere “Thank You” for all the cards we received and to SS members for the lovely gifts presented to us and their support throughout the years. And what can I say about the callers over the last twenty five years? Just that we have been lucky to have some of the best, so it’s another big “Thank You” to: Peter Richardson, Johnny Hayes (unable to attend), Roy Howells (sadly died in 1994) and James who still calls for the club, twenty years on. Lastly, but certainly not least, we thank all our invited guests. We thoroughly enjoyed your company.
The motto for Square Dancing is ‘Fun And Friendship Set To Music’. We certainly achieved it at our 25th Birthday Bash.
Margaret & Ron Yard (Southampton Squares)
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