A Village Hall Stalwart.
All on the committee were saddened not to celebrate Burns Supper recently (the Village Hall’s key fundraising event).
Burns Supper Fundraiser
The first Burns Supper in 2005 was the idea of committee member Jean McCann and her Scottish husband Charlie.
Haggis and scotch pies were collected from Corby. With the help of two friends, they were prepared on old cookers then served for supper to over 70 guests.
In 2006 they hired cooking equipment from Foxton Scouts but by the third year they hired a chef until last year when the entire committee all mucked in by peeling bucket loads of potatoes and swede and cooking the food in the hall’s modernised kitchen to help raise even more funds.
Nigel (in photograph above) has been the resident piper every year and Gordon MacDonald addresses the haggis; a role that started when his request for Burns Supper tickets was denied as it was full. So desperate was he to attend he offered to do anything so Jean offered tickets in exchange for this important Burns Supper tradition. A role that he has done, with great gusto, ever since 2005.
Volunteering for 45 years
Jean has been volunteering at the hall for 45 years, four years after she set up the Kibworth Village Hall Playgroup and fondly remembers the hall hosting live bands with over 100 people attending. The Playgroup was formed in 1971 but due to hall renovations they were temporarily homed in Tur Langton. She recalls how they used to load the young children into the car, no seat belts and drive them all over to Tur Langton. The Playgroup is now led by her daughters Susan and Jackie and all her children and grandchildren have attended. Charlie, who moved to the area in 1948 remembers having lessons at the village hall as a Kibworth Grammar School pupil. His fondest memory is the ice cream freezer being in the lobby (always locked as it was saved for cinema night).
Not only do we look forward to Burns Supper in 2022 but being able to run the Cinema nights too that the hall re-introduced in 2019, or was it 2018 we seem to have a lost a year.
Thank you Jean and Charlie for being village hall stalwarts and always with a smile.
We have all been reminded how important volunteering is to village life.
Kibworth Village Hall Committee
Kibworth Velo Club.
