Lindfield’s poignant day to remember

Lindfield Village Day is always a joyous occasion and this year was no different bar a minute’s silence that was held for its greatest stalwart, Brian Newcombe.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jun 2013, 15:03 BST
Lindfield Fun Day. Will Blunden pays his respects during the 1 minute's silence at the King Edward HallLindfield Fun Day. Will Blunden pays his respects during the 1 minute's silence at the King Edward Hall
Lindfield Fun Day. Will Blunden pays his respects during the 1 minute's silence at the King Edward Hall

Brian died a month ago, aged 79, having devoted a lifetime to Lindfield and been one of the instigators of Village Day in the 1970s. The occasion raises money for the King Edward Hall, and Brian was chairman of its management committee from 1977 until his death.

The usual procession of floats, with the theme of the King Edward Hall’s movie night, started from Denmans Lane and wound its way down the High Street to the hall where harbour master Will Blunden led the silence with a poignant bow. Brian’s wife, Gwen paid her own tribute donning her late husband’s swan hat, which represents Lindfield’s iconic pond.

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It was also fitting that Gwen won the Village Day raffle having never won before in all the years she and Brian were involved with the huge fund-raising event.

Committee member Sarah Richmond said the day went exceptionally well with warm sunshine and a packed common almost at capacity with stalls and arena events; there was music, Zumba dancing, a tug of war and the firing of the anvil, which made the usual ear-piercing noise at the start of proceedings.

Sarah said: “We were taking bookings for stalls right up until the last week and I don’t think we could have got anymore on!”


See full story and lots of pictures in Thursday’s Mid Sussex Times

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