THE
HUMBERSTON HAPPENING COMMITTEE
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For
four consecutive years, Santa has found space in his tight schedule to fit in
a special visit to the fortunate children of Humberston. On a Friday evening
in early December, from six o’clock until nine-thirty, he travels on his illuminated,
musical sleigh through the streets of the village. Starting at The Trawlerman
in North Sea Lane, he wends his way along a circular seven mile tour which takes
in almost every road within the old parochial boundary.
Every
house in Humberston receives a hand-delivered leaflet giving details of the
actual times of the route which takes in the Whitehall Estate, the Country Park,
Primrose Way, Greenfinch Drive, Rosemary Way and the Lakes Estate, the Saints
estate, Glebe Road, Lime Grove, Tetney Road and Church Avenue, and the Midfield
Road, Fieldhouse Road, Lidgard Road, Sinderson Road and Carrington Drive areas.
Special
visits are made to The Pear Tree, Lucarlys, The Grosvenor, The Countryman, The
Coach House, The Humberston Country Club and The Trawlerman.
The
residents of Humberston always reward Santa by their enthusiastic support
for this very lively and colourful function; coming out and giving him
a wave as he passes by.
A
street collection is made, the proceeds of which are shared between the Humberston
Park Special School Hydrotherapy Pool Appeal and the Caistor Lions Organisation.
Every penny donated goes to the nominated charities; no deduction of
any kind is made for expenses.
The Humberston Park Special School realised their dream by raising sufficient money to build their superb Hydrotherapy Pool. It was completed in the summer of 2006, was officially opened by the Countess of Wessex, and has been in use by the students since the school term beginning in September 2006. They now require on-going funds to maintain and run this fantastic facility. The school does a wonderful job caring for these special children aged between two and a half years and nineteen with problems ranging from moderate to profound disabilities. Some are confined to bed or wheelchair for almost twenty-four hours a day and all desperately need the kind of help and relief the Hydrotherapy Pool gives them. The HHC is pleased to support such a deserving cause.
The
HHC also organises a series of small events, such as coach trips and theatre
outings, to finance the cost of each year’s Christmas occasion. More, and different,
events are planned in the future. Humberston Happenings may vary and change,
but ideals which prompted the group’s formation, still drive it onwards today.
Who
could have guessed way back in 1995 how it would grow and evolve. There has
been lots of hard work along the way, but there has also been tremendous
pleasure and plenty of laughs. Who can forget the costumed character
at one Summer Happening who, just like Hi-De-Hi’s Partridge, really didn’t like
children much at all ? Or the ungainly efforts of Thorpe Park’s brilliant Bradley
Bear trying to pick out single raffle tickets with his big furry paws
The
HHC has derived great satisfaction from seeing goals achieved, and also endured
so much frustration about what might have been possible if unnecessary obstacles
had not been placed in the path of progress. However, through the good times
and the bad, the HHC has at all times remained intact, in touch and imbued with
enthusiam about continuing to work for the good of the Humberston community.
Chairing
the current HHC is Enid Gray
who, along with Vice-Chairman and Acting Treasurer Trevor Grayson and
Committee members Jane Gray, John and Dorothy Winn and Terry Watson
has been with the group from day one. These have since been joined by
Secretary Pauline Miller MBE, Lawrence Catlyn, Margaret Peart and Sue Robinson.
Others would be warmly welcomed either as Committee members of just active helpers,
as an influx of new blood is absolutely essential if the ability to put on ‘big’
events such as the Summer Happenings are ever to be revived. Anyone interested
should contact any member of the Committee.