What a brilliant weekend for Stofest 2025! I hope you will agree it really was our best EVER! We were so lucky with the weather too.

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It was an off the cuff remark by Barney Lawrence after last year suggesting we organise Stofest over two days! (What were you thinking Barney?) Once his wife Sam and the rest of our committee and volunteers had got over the shock, we warmed to the idea too.

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Music; of course, BBQ, Beer and Gin Tent, Refreshments, Tombola and Cuddly Toys, Car Park and Camping, Football Games, Ice Cream and Candy Floss, Face Painting Tiger, Barney’s Wheelbarrow, Raffle and Stalls and food vans on the Friday evening have contributed to takings and donations of £22,950.20

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Last year I wrote that ‘I almost cannot believe this figure as I am writing it’ I have to say it again too. We have expenses of £8538.24 (with the invoice for the rubbish still to come!) A profit of £14,411.96 for the Village Hall Charity! More of the finances in a separate post to come, we are underway with the renovations.

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The festival atmosphere was fantastic; family friendly, everyone having a great time with some beautiful art works from the face painter on the young and the young at heart. Our loyal villagers were out in support, people traveling from all over the place including Southampton (love the purple hair) and lovely Pedro and Jill from Exeter. Get well soon Jill x

Impossible to list all the exhausted volunteers but a huge THANK YOU to our hard working and dedicated committee; their friends and families, those who helped on the two days and helped to set up on Thursday and Friday and clear up on Sunday. Mick and Jan Cooney from South Newton always walk up to the village hall early on Sunday morning to litter pick. We are so lucky to have villagers who are our unsung heroes. Also, a special mention to The Forsaken Guardians MCC who joined us and managed the car parking over most of the weekend.

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We could not put on this Festival without help and may I make a plea for many more volunteers, even just for a few hours over the weekend would help us.

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Stofest 2026 is already booked for Friday 17th and Saturday 18th July 2026

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Thank you to our the generous contributors who provided raffle prizes and to our Sponsors and Donors:

B & E Services Ltd, Barney and Sam Lawrence and all their workers, Fawcetts LLP, Webb (UK) Ltd, UK LOCO Ltd, Rude Giant Brewery, Chessington World of Adventures, GOCO Insurance Goodmans, AEP Modular, Pyramid Services, M&M Design and Metalwork, ParkerSteel, Lamb Engineering, Henry Swanton and Mike Glover.

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There are also numerous businesses at the business park in South Newton who generously donate when Rob Petty calls! We are very grateful to you all.

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Karen Barnes

On behalf of the Management Committee

South Newton and Wishford Recreation Centre - Village Hall