PICTURES: Clocks turned back in Tibenham as annual fundraiser raises more than £1,800
The landlord of the Tibenham Greyhound which played host to an annual charity event says he could not have asked for a better weekend after more than £1,800 was raised.
The pub has hosted an annual 1940s charity weekender since 2012, raising on average £1,500 each year for the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and Help For Heroes.
And despite signs promoting the event being vandalised in the lead up to the event, the charity weekend raised £1,808.
Robert Smith, landlord of the Greyound, told the Diss Express the vandalism “undoubtedly” had an effect on the weekend, with people showing sympathy, making generous donations, and offering to help replace damaged signs advertising the event.
There was a charity dance, Living History Group displays, a vintage fashion show, various stalls raising funds for other charities, and a ‘Hair Raid’ shelter for 1940s hair styling, across the three days, while on Sunday a memorial service was held at the village’s 445th Bomb Group.
The bash concluded with a tea dance finale.
We could not have asked for a better weekend
He said highlights at the weekend included the “phenomenal” singer Jade Grand, a fly-by from Tiger Moth planes from Tibenham Airfield, while the carvery on Sunday sold out.
“We could not have asked for a better weekend,” he said. “It went really well. We did not have any more damage to the signs after the story went on social media, it might have stopped it from that point onwards.
“We were a little bit down on numbers this year, but people who were there were very generous.
“The whole weekend was on big attraction and people came for various reasons. Some for the military weapons and displays, and others come for the music, dances, and things like that.
“I would like to say a big thank you to Mark and Sue Bancroft, as it was them who organised and rallied the troops, as it were.”
Mr Smith said they hoped to stage the 2017 event across the same weekend next year.