To mark the Queen’s Jubilee year in 2012 a young curate from St Mary’s Church in Monkseaton was charged with coming up with an activity to mark the occasion.
In the parish of St Mary’s Monkseaton is Whitley Lodge; a small shopping centre, known affectionately as the ‘Lodge.’ Amongst the shops, supermarket, newsagents, pub, post office, estate agent, hairdressers etc, was a small café known as Julie’s.
This was run by Julie Summers the proprietor, who together with her close friend, Benjamin hatched the idea of a fayre, which was to be a celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee and like the street parties organised at the time, it was in essence to be free for families and their children alike.
A small committee was organised from the lodge businesses, churches, first school and Rotary. The committee chaired by the curate and Julie, together with a small group of volunteers, contacted a host of leisure resources who could contribute to the concept of a free fun day for families.
In return for a pitch, each stall would make a small donation to the running and set up costs, but in essence, all the activities for children were to be free; and hence the Whitley Lodge Fun Day was conceived and started.
The event was such a success with over 2,000 visitors that it became an annual event and hence the involvement of the Whitley Bay Rotary Club in years to come.
In the parish of St Mary’s Monkseaton is Whitley Lodge; a small shopping centre, known affectionately as the ‘Lodge.’ Amongst the shops, supermarket, newsagents, pub, post office, estate agent, hairdressers etc, was a small café known as Julie’s.
This was run by Julie Summers the proprietor, who together with her close friend, Benjamin hatched the idea of a fayre, which was to be a celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee and like the street parties organised at the time, it was in essence to be free for families and their children alike.
A small committee was organised from the lodge businesses, churches, first school and Rotary. The committee chaired by the curate and Julie, together with a small group of volunteers, contacted a host of leisure resources who could contribute to the concept of a free fun day for families.
In return for a pitch, each stall would make a small donation to the running and set up costs, but in essence, all the activities for children were to be free; and hence the Whitley Lodge Fun Day was conceived and started.
The event was such a success with over 2,000 visitors that it became an annual event and hence the involvement of the Whitley Bay Rotary Club in years to come.
So, in June 2014 our Rotary Club was back with its coconut shy and splat the rat, which involved trying to hit an artificial rat as it speedily emerged from a drainpipe!!
Attached are few images of this eventful day.
If you are interested in finding out more about Whitley Bay Rotary Club, please contact us either on enquiries@whitleybayrotaryclub.co.uk or by telephoning 07419 736989.