Anyone who has moved into the village since last May must have had a shock on Fair day when so many people came to Reach. The press reported 10,000 people were crowded onto the green and playing field (maybe not all at the same time!) making it the busiest Fair I can remember. With a live broadcast from a web cam the fair was enjoyed all over the world, so we may have reached millions.

The growth of the Fair in recent years has involved members of the Village Hall Committee taking far more active roles in its organisation, particularly this year for our 800' fair, the largest in living memory! We should all be extremely proud to live in Reach, as there are few events in the country that can celebrate 800 continuous years on the same site.

When we walked or drove past the green only a few days after the Fair it was difficult to believe how much rubbish was left behind after the tramping of 20,000 feet or how damaged the green looked. The disappearance of all the rubbish must have seemed like a minor miracle to all those returning home on Tuesday evening and I would like to thank everyone who helped with this vital task. As always a great deal of work was done in organising the Fair before and during the day and I would like to thank everyone who helped in whatever capacity.

The Fair itself was extremely popular and although financially successful, not as profitable as we might have hoped. Other events of a similar size make larger profits than we do mainly because they charge an entrance fee and we have been, by tradition, a free fair. Perhaps it is time for this tradition to die and a new one take its place.

We are now at the point where we have to make important decisions about the future of the Fair. Each year we ask for help from within the village with the organisation of the Fair, manning our stalls, setting up and clearing away, etc to ensure that the Fair survives. The organisation of the Fair still rests with a small number of people who put in a large amount of effort for several months, and who work extremely hard during Fair Day to ensure the smooth running of the event. If the Fair continues to grow then we will need to rely even more heavily on dedicated volunteers for the success of the Fair. Why not come and join the team next year? It can be very rewarding and a great way for newcomers to get to know village folk. Village Hall meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month at 8 pm in the Village Hall.

The organising committee will welcome everyone's thoughts, comments and suggestions as well as offers of help. We need to decide what to do for next year before July so please, if you have anything to say, say it now!

We would also be grateful if you could spend a few minutes filling in the questionnaire. It will be collected from you by mid June ready for discussion at the Village Hall meeting on Wednesday June 21" at 8 pm - if you come along you will be made very welcome!