Blooms Burst to Bedeck Blossom Bonanza.

Upwards of a hundred people attended the Blossom Day celebrations in the Community Orchard at Park Farm on Sunday 17th April. The sun shone down from a clear blue sky throughout (despite the weathermen’s dire predictions of rain and gales!), the cherry trees were beautifully clothed in blossom, the lambs grazed, the bees buzzed, and a most pleasant picnic occasion was enjoyed by all. To start, the Sittingbourne Wind Ensemble, under their able director Paul Ingleton, played a selection of popular and classical tunes.  It was then the turn of Lynsted and Norton Primary School to produce a magnificent display of maypole dancing.  Newcomers to the art were fascinated by the patterns created on the pole as the dancers, accompanied by rustic melodies,  wove  in and out, both singly and then in pairs.  Several of the more senior observers were heard to murmur comments about how it took them right back to their own childhood days.  Headteacher Deborah Ward, dance trainer (and classroom assistant) Julie West, and of course the dancers, are to be congratulated for creating such an appropriate show of ancient traditional dancing for a  venerable cherry orchard setting.

Parish Council Chairman Tom English then presented young Max Heather with the prize of an atlas for his winning entry, ‘The Wonder of Life’, in the ‘Name the Sculpture’ competition. There had been 92 entries, and selecting the winner had been difficult!

The ‘Wind Band’ closed off a delightful afternoon with another medley of favourite tunes.  

Bob Baxter.