There’s no doubt that Staplefield was the place to be on Bank Holiday Monday when the village staged one of the most successful fêtes in its history. 
     Hundreds of families descended on the village green to enjoy an afternoon of traditional events and activities, from a Punch and Judy Show to classic cars.
     “It was quite extraordinary, and definitely one of the most successful yet,” said committee member Elspeth Montgomery. “It was a lovely busy, buzzy day and we were all delighted with the turnout!
     “People have described it as a ‘Downton Abbey’ type of Fête, with lots of bunting and a very traditional feel.”
     The event, which raised more than £10,000 for St Mark’s Church, the Village Hall and other Staplefield charities, was opened by local MP Nicholas Soames. Local celebrity Susannah Constantine also made a welcome return to judge the popular dog show.
     Families were kept entertained with fairground rides, a chance to meet rare owls, stalls and sideshows, and food and drink including a popular Pimms and strawberries tent and hog roast.
     Others enjoyed stepping back in time and exploring the dozens of vehicles in the classic car show, from police cars and buses, Rolls Royces and an impressive range of Morris Minors. 
     “The classic car show gets bigger every year, with the first Morris Minors arriving on the green at 8am in the morning!” said Elspeth.
     New this year was the Arts Inclusive Festival run by the Circles Network, which provided opportunities for all members the community to enjoy creative activities, from designing lettering to transforming old books into works of art.

See all pictures from the day on pages 16/17.