Weekly Wrap up. Week 31. 2024. Away at the Show.

Weekly wrap up. Week 31. 2024

The New Forest Show week.

I have been away, playing hooky for a few days during what is one of my absolutely favourite weeks of the year. I love the New Forest Show and it has been a part of my life for my whole life. I remember walking round holding my mother's hand, already obsessing over the horses, I had a few minor appearances in the Prince Phillip mounted games teams before pushing my own children around in pushchairs and beyond. I still have a corn dolly standing in my office that my younger daughter made when she was very young and many, many memories.

We were standing ringside once, when my girls were around 6 and 8, watching the stunt riders. An elderly couple were chatting to my daughters as we watched the rider standing up on the back of a galloping horse, before leaping side to side to side over it's back and hanging upside down from it's neck. My eldest turned to the couple with a totally deadpan expression and with absolute conviction stated "We do all that at pony club"....

We had another time when my youngest aged around 6 or 7 was transfixed watching a portly, older gentleman take quite some time to set up his shooting stick, opening out the top and pushing it into the ground before slowly and with much deliberation, lowering himself down to sit. Unfortunately he missed and ended up flat on his back with his feet in the air and before I could even reach him to help him, youngest daughter gave a squeal, clapped her hands and said "That was so funny - could you do it again?"

I spent 10 years or more, standing for Naomi House Children's hospice and we had the year when the wind was so strong that we were all trying to stop the marquee blowing away and I had a very memorable year on the New Forest District council stand, as part or the team from the Recreation centre where I taught. Prince Edward was coming as our guest of honour and we were all on spinning bikes with the plan that we would all be pedalling full speed. We were in a marquee on a very hot day and he was running late. We were not allowed to get off and there were frequent shouts of "He's coming" and we would be madly pedalling again before being told it was a false alarm. When he did finally arrive, he came over to speak to me. I have a photo somewhere (can't for the life of me, find it atm) of me absolutely beetroot red, with sweat dripping off my nose, half collapsed off the bike after over one hour of spinning, while HRH comments on what a marvellous job we are doing...

Now I am part of a steward's team on the information and trade stands section. Can you believe there are over 500 volunteer stewards and we are all there because we love our New Forest, we love the show and we are all passionate about what we support.

To be fair, I have never been that passionate about directing people to Sandra's satins or advising of the timings on the bandstands and asking traders to get their vehicles off the showground before we open every morning can be tricky but I love every minute. I have had a week of 5.30am alarm calls and the only live Olympics I have seen thus far is the swimming in the evenings (and Andy Murray,... I know I was very tired last night, but I cried my eyes out, not least when Clare Balding cried too)!

On the Monday evening, around 8pm, before the show started on the Tuesday, I walked around the showground with Bertie and Gretl who had been there for the 3 set up days and it felt like Christmas Eve. The anticipation, everything spick and span and perfect, waiting for the onslaught.

We are there for emergencies (lots of faintings - the first two were very close together in front of the soft toys stand and I did wonder if perhaps the itmes were vastly over priced?) and answering queries and giving directions. Most people are charming and lovely but some are less polite and.. well.. my two favourite personal interactions are as follows -

Him - I want the dog show - is it in the canine area?

me - no, it's in the rabbit pavilion.

Him - really?

me - no. obviously not.

And...

Where are the pigs?

There aren't any pigs at the show

There aren't any pigs at the show?

No there aren't any pigs at the show.

No pigs?

(under breath - FFS) No, there are no pigs. We have horses, cows, sheep, poultry, rabbits, birds of prey, hounds, working dogs, ferrets...

But no pigs?

No, no pigs...

Any lamas?

My absolutely favourite closing memory is at the end of the last day, utterly exhausted. We were all sat around the table in front of our little hut and a man wandered over and demanded rudely to know where the nearest bar was. No-one managed to stand up and everyone pointed. It's just that everyone pointed in a different direction. So, so funny.

Another job is to distribute parcels. Stalls may get new stock delivered and we collect it in a buggy and it is driven around the ground to find it's relevant stall. It really brought it home to me, how beneficial our strength classes are. I was perfectly happy lifting and loading the boxes and was quite shocked at the lack of strength in so many people who struggled with the weight. The other thing that was really brought home sadly, was the obesity situation. Sitting watching Joe Public walk by and my goodness, we have a major obesity crisis. Not overweight, not plump but obese. We have to keep moving - make better food choices and keep moving. It really is very worrying.

One thing I would really like to share with you is the story of the Lumberjills. There is a vintage area for farming and last year we had a lovely Land Girls stand. This year I met Joanna Foat. She works for the Forestry Commission and discovered the story of the Lumberjills and before you ask who were they, that is exactly the point. Thanks to Joanna, their story is now heard and they were finally recognised.

In WW2, these amazing women - nurses, hairdressers and such like, were climbing and felling trees, chopping and logging. They had to learn this very complex and dangerous trade and learn it they did. Did you know that at the start of the war we imported over 95% of our wood and it was for this reason that the Forestry Commission was set up shortly after the war ended, in order to be better prepared. We were played an archive BBC clip where the commentator jovially remarks on how the women are now swinging axes where as before all the had swung "were their handbags".... there was one story of a lumberjack challenging the ability of a lumberjill - she took up the challenge and refused to give up and between them, going head to head, they felled ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY trees. In one day.

Thanks to Joanna, these ladies were finally recognised in 2008 by Gordon Brown but sadly the medals they were awarded were those of the Women's Land Army and not the two crossed axes and fir tree of the Lumberjillls but it was a start and since then, they have been documented on Women's hour, Countryfile and more. If you are interested, do buy the book "Lumberjills" by Joanna Foat.

Our very own Judy was in the Bees and Honey tent and I learned from her about the Asian hornet problem and why it is a risk for our bees. I will write about this and ask Judy to check before I share next week and how we can all help.

I finished the show watching the Heavy Horse drive and it always makes me well up... I just love the grace and the pride they show. As soon as I hear those familiar tunes, I get a lump in my throat.

What else?

The August Challenge is in the library and to support it, I am adding more bite sized, exercise snacks to the Snack bar in the library. There are lots of different options to choose from and include stretch, mobility and cool down as well as more challenge.

LIBRARY

The classes are loaded in the library in date order with the newest at the top. If there is a class you particularly like, I suggest you make a note of the date it was put up (as I know some of the class names are similar) and that way, you will be able to easily find your favourites. I hope this will make it much easier to work around.

Other stuff.

How amazing are our equestrians? 3 Day eventing GOLD, Showjumping GOLD.... (perhaps best not to mention the Dressage) and our wonderful rowers and isn't Alex Yee unstoppable.

After our wonderful divers, I am going to have get a bit more creative to include this as I am preparing my humble little Paris Olympics on the Mat class for Carfest and will be inviting you to join me for a practise run through soon!

I flicked the tv on to watch the games while I write this and all I had on offer was the BMX racing. I don't really have any more to say about that to be honest (apart from, I mean honestly, does anyone take it seriously? )

A post I saw and wanted to share with you..

Want stronger bones? Lift weights

Want a better physique? Lift weights.

Want to avoid type 2 Diabetes? Lift weights

Want a better mood? Lift weights

Want to protect your brain? lift weights

Want to burn fat? Lift weights

Want to be strong? Lift weights

Want to reduce inflammation? Lift weights

Want better balance? Lift weights

Want better posture? Lift weights.

Please note no live classes on Thursday. There are masses of new classes for you to choose from in the library.

Finally

When you are younger, it is easy to underestimate how fleeting the days can be. Each choice matters Each day matters.

When you are older, it is easy to underestimate how much opportunity you still have. Don't talk yourself out of it. It's never too late to start.

One of these weeks, I will finally learn to write our weekly wrap up before Friday but in the meantime here we are!

Have a wonderful weekend.

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