As the Hambledon Festival Committee announces a record amount raised for good causes over this year’s fete and ball weekend, it is timely to remember a very special village resident who helped start it all.
Many will have been deeply saddened to hear of the death of Sue Blackman who, along with husband Arthur (Ginge), has done so much for the benefit our village and its many activities. Her funeral service will be at St Peter’s Church next Tuesday (Sept 10th) at 2pm.
It was Sue and Ginge who, in 2006, came up with the idea of making greater use of the fete marquee by organising the first-ever Hambledon Gala Ball, to take place in the evening once the biennial fete had been packed away.
It was a great success, making good use of the hired marquee that always remained in place until the following Monday, and the big band evening was a sell-out. Sue and Ginge, assisted by Derek and Cynthia Miller, Ron and Ann Vickery and others, decided to repeat the ball in 2008, this time with the highly-regarded covers band Toxic Sausage, with villager “Big” Mike Blanchard on keyboard.
It was another huge success, so much so that it paved the way for what has now become the Hambledon Mid-Summer Festival weekend; a three-day use of the marquee that embraces jazz on the Friday evening, fete and ball on the Saturday and a church service on the Sunday morning, followed by a classic car rally.
It is now run by a festival committee made up of village volunteers, the inspiration for which came from Sue’s enterprising idea. Her contribution to village life stretches way beyond the ball, and she and Ginge have been involved in many other areas; Sue an early volunteer when our shop became a community venture and Ginge with sporting activities, and in particular Hambledon Cricket and Football Clubs.
Sue grew up in Hambledon, living with her family at the Merry Harriers. She and Ginge celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2017.
Friends and neighbours are welcome to join the family at her service and burial at St Peter’s next Tuesday at 2pm. Appropriately, there will be a gathering afterwards at the Merry Harriers.
We send our love and sympathy to Ginge, daughter Vicky and son Steve, and all family members and will always be grateful to Sue for her company and her contribution, both of which have enriched our lives.
And to end, please see below how her legacy lives on. This year’s festival weekend raised around £25,000, of which £22,000 is to be distributed to the following organisations.
