Enid Blyton's Birthday Party 2007

[Ming]

I hope you enjoy, everyone! Do take lots of photos.

Watch out for the bats.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Sounds great! Have fun!

Anita

[Moonraker]

Watch out for the bats.

Why, what happens to Viv at midnight.......?

[Lucky Star]

I envy you so much Viking. Have loads of fun and don't forget we'll want a written report next week.

[Ming]

Why, what happens to Viv at midnight.......?

I get your drift. I didn't actually mean that, I meant REAL bats.

VS and Viv, we want loads of photos!

[Almas]

Please do hurry up, Viv and VS!

I really cannot wait!

[Viking Star]

Please do hurry up, Viv and VS!

I really cannot wait!

I had a great time, but I'm waiting until I can load the pictures before writing a report - hopefully tomorrow or the day after.

[Ming]

VS emailed me about the day briefly (you could say that I've pestered him a bit ) - and it really sounded great.

Well done, Viv, for arranging it. I'd like to join you in these sometime in future!

[Julian]

I think I haven't seen Viv lately on these forums...

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I'm still in recovery mode! Tonight I was going to take it easy with Harry Potter, but I've been sucking a lollypop that has made me a bit hyper (It was called "Toxic Waste" and has left my tongue bright blue - scary!)

VS will give you the unbiased report, but here is an account of the lead up to the day....

Last week started with me making a proposal of marriage to Mark. I had reached that time of life, I decided, and my flat that state of chaos, when I had to face the fact that I was in desperate need of a wife. I could see no reason why a domestic goddess shouldn't be 6'5", but sadly he didn't seem to like the job description and flatly refused my offer.

Domestic decline continued the day I went off to work with the garage key in my pocket, and a friend turned up with the yellow gazebo I borrow for the Ginger Pop book stall, and two trestle tables. The tables were left in my flat hallway, so that I had to clamber over them to get into the spare bedroom to use the computer, and the gazebo box blocked 2/3 of the front door. 1/4 of the doorway was already blocked with an assortment of Morris Dancing sticks, conservation rainwear and a useful cushion mother had acquired for me, so just getting in and out was distinctly difficult.

It would take 24 people to run the Birthday Party, and this year I was trying to give everyone a variety of things to do in the 5 sessions during the day. Some people were only available in the morning, others the afternoon given they were travelling from London. Everyone useful who lived in Corfe was involved with the Church Fete. Some people, such as teachers, were multi-talented in that they could story-read, lead games and add up on the bookstall. Others had very specialist skills such as morse code or golf. Everyone needed a lunch break. I sat down with some squared paper and tried to do a timetable - which nearly worked. I felt it just needed a bit of tweaking... perhaps I could do it by using a chess board as time, and allocating chess men to volunteers. This may have worked if there were just two sessions, but there were five. Try scrabble letters, suggested John, so we got out the Scrabble, and then realised that not enough letters had more than 5 pieces, so we started to allocate 2 letters per person, then place them in unweildy heaps on the chess board. There was NO WAY that we could start moving them around. We got the giggles, gave up, and I went back to my squared paper.

The day before the Big Day a university friend was getting married in Yorkshire, 300 miles away. I didn't want to miss the opportunity of seeing old friends, but it did mean being very well organised before I went on the Thursday. Everything in my garage that needed to go was plastered with a bright orange Post-It note, and special orders left for the shop.

I had arranged that the BBC would film on the Wednesday for South Today many months before. They said they would turn up at 9.30 to talk through the filming, and then join me on the 10.30 talky-walky. They eventually arrived at 10.20 asking for change for the car park. The walk HAD to go ahead because the Town Hall where we start had another booking as soon as I was out of it, so they missed filming the start. Georgie, the presenter, was genuinely thrilled at seeing the Moonface model. On returning, Christine my sister who was running the shop, thrust a piece of paper in front of me with a phone number - Radio Solent now wanted an interview the next morning. I said that 7.30 was OK since I could do it before heading North. The start of the next Talky Walky began with the film crew interviewing some participants - and when I returned this time it was to find that BBC TV Breakfast had been on the phone wanting to film on Friday. "I can't - I'm in Yorkshire" I explained, "but my mum is good and she'll do it". I sincerely hoped that Rosie WASN'T doing anything on Friday morning! What had happened, I wondered, to get the BBC suddenly so keen. Had all the BBC producers met in the toilet and talked about what spare stories were around?

So what of the Day itself - I'll let VS give the main report

The weather was bright and sunny and a real Beach Day. With 1150 through the gate this was 75% higher than the NT would expect on such a Saturday in August with lots of other events happening around.

The helpers were great, and the activities appreciated

I need someone who can cook on a BBQ. Mark is a competent cook, but on Saturday just watched the chicken first blacken, and then let the coals go out. (It was served cooked eventually!)

The four of us (me, Mark, VS and David Cook) decided to sleep all together in the ancient and small white marquee. Rain was forecast and I was suddenly aware of lots of little holes in the roof. I gave Mark some heavy duty tape to make repairs - 6'5" is useful at times!

Breakfast was scones with clotted cream and honey. Yum!

I then had to drive the hire van home and unload before doing the shop for the day. "When is the Birthday Party" enquired several people.

I got home Sunday evening to find that John had worked wonders in the kitchen. Who needs a domestic goddess with a Best Friend like him!

Viv

[Almas]

Ooooooh! Very interesting, Viv. I'm glad that everything went fine. Lovely to see you again!

Do tell us more

[Anita Bensoussane]

A typical week then, Viv?!!

1150 people sounds great!

I missed your interviews, I'm afraid. Can any of them still be seen/listened to online?

Anita

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I missed your interviews, I'm afraid. Can any of them still be seen/listened to online?

I don't know - I haven't caught up with any of them myself yet! Apparently the TV one then went on BBC News 24!

Viv

[Ming]

Well done with the party, Viv. Sounds great.

[Viking Star]

Oh dear. How embarrassing. I had agreed to write a report of this year’s Enid Blyton birthday party, but have only now got round to it: a mixture of problems with photos, a holiday and a large helping of procrastination. Sorry Viv! Hopefully better late than never…..

I travelled down to Corfe by train from London. Unlike the previous year, the skies were definitely cornflower blue! The birthday party took place in the grounds of Corfe Castle, thought to be an inspiration for Kirrin Castle.

On arrival Viv put me on duty in the Enid Blyton Society tent. The tent contained ‘storyboards’ on loan from Beckenham library, which told all about Enid and the books she wrote. There was also a bust of Enid herself, which was quite valuable and had to be watched carefully in case it decided to ‘walk’. As visitors came in and read, we stood by to answer questions – or even be a bit more proactive and initiate a conversation ourselves. The visitors were a mix of young and old, and each had their own very personal memories of reading Enid’s books.

I say “we” stood by to answer questions. The other person manning the tent was none other than David Cook, writer in the Society journal of (in my opinion) the best reviews of Enid’s books. I was absolutely thrilled! David was much better than I at engaging people in conversation, and I spent much of the time listening to the nuggets of information he was passing on - plus asking him various questions myself!

The Enid Blyton Society got a very good sell - so much so that we ran out of leaflets about how to join. Fortunately Viv also had some bookmarks promoting the Society in the book tent, so I borrowed some of those.

My next stint was in the Ginger Beer tasting tent. Visitors were given three types of ginger beer to taste, and then had to guess which of them was closest to the ginger beer that the Famous Five would have drunk. The previous year most people had got this all terribly wrong. However the person I shared the tent with this year wasn’t very good at filling the plastic cups in a discreet manner, so it wasn’t that difficult to guess!

After the Ginger Beer tent I had to look after The Wishing Chair. The replica wishing chair, together with (very impressive) papier mache giant (a giant features in one of the stories in the first book) was set in the Castle itself at just about the highest point of the grounds. I hadn’t actually previously read any of the Wishing Chair books. So on my way up to the Chair I borrowed an ‘omnibus’ edition from the book tent to read, so that I could get the gist of what the stories were about. Fortunately it was all quite straightforward!

Young and old sat in the Chair to be photographed and/or make a wish. One little boy looked so cute when he scrunched up his eyes and forehead as he thought of a wish. I was amazed how many people knew about the Wishing Chair books. It was very hot up there. In between visitors I had the choice of sitting down in the shadow of the castle or standing up and taking in some rays. A National Trust volunteer nearby kindly offered me some sun protection cream.

Next it was back down to the Society tent as the day drew to a close. The question I had been asked most during the day was actually “Where can I buy the Famous Five t-shirt you’re wearing?” Even two of my friends who aren’t even Enid fans (to my knowledge at least) have asked for me for one.

Once all the visitors had gone and tents/props had been put away, the group of volunteers had a barbecue supper laid on by Viv. After supper most of the volunteers left. However Viv, her boyfriend Mark, David Cook and myself stayed on, as we were going to spend the night camping in the grounds of the Castle!!

But first the bust of Enid had to be returned to a local hotel (where Enid often stayed when she holidayed in Dorset. The bust was quite heavy, and was unceremoniously plonked in a wheelbarrow to take to the van! After depositing the bust at the hotel – which also had other Enid memorabilia, we drove down to Studland beach. As we walked along the beach, each of us in turn shared how we had first got into reading Enid’s books.

On arriving back at Corfe we had a drink in one of the local pubs before returning to the Castle and our tent for the night. This was actually the first time Viv herself had slept in the grounds of the Castle. However before settling down for the night we got out our torches and went to explore the Castle itself. So atmospheric. It was great fun, and a great experience.

A shower of ‘meteors’ (?) was due to pass by the earth the next evening. However some of them arrived early, and I saw three ‘falling stars’. It really was beautiful. Back at the tent, Viv had strategically placed some food in the corner, in case we fancied a midnight feast.

I woke up to the sound of jackdaws. Just like in the Famous Five books the jackdaws fly around the Castle tower. One of them had the cheek to walk along the ceiling of the tent! We took down the tent and it was time to say goodbye. Viv had been the perfect host, having provided lunch and supper, somewhere to sleep for the night and taken us down round a couple of Enid-related locations. She also very kindly gave me the Wishing Chair omnibus I had borrowed the previous day.

However the adventure was not quite over for me yet! David Cook had very kindly offered to drive me to some other Enid-related locations. We had ‘brunch’ sitting outside a restaurant at the top of a cliff overlooking the sea (I can’t recall the specific Enid connection). We then drove down to Swanage, wandered round chatting and had some very nice ice creams! Finally David drove me to the train station for my journey home, with the promise to show me round Bourne End (on which Five Find-Outers and Dog village Peterswood is based), which I had said I wanted to visit.

David doesn’t have a computer, so as a very small thank you I did a search for his name on the forums and sent him copies of all the kind comments that have been posted about his book reviews. He’s now interested in seeing some of the other strings on the forums!

It really was a great day – the Castle, the visitors, camping in the grounds, taking in some other Enid-related locations, being looked after by Viv and meeting/chatting with David Cook.

Let’s hope next year is just as good!