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September 22, 2007
Review of All Our Yesterdays - Dunston
When you are asked to write a piece for a magazine and it has to be written far in advance of the readers actually reading it, and what you want to write of happened some time ago it can be a bit of a nightmare. Those of you who read the Parish Magazine will know that I tend to rabbit on a bit.
I was the last one standing when it came to seeing who would organize the 'All Our Yesterdays' exhibition at St Peter's, Dunston. I have always, where possible, put "my two penn'th" in to help but never actually organized one. At the time it seemed like a good idea. Oh the naivety of it all!!
It was jolly hard work both physically and mentally and there were times when I did ask myself what the….. Yes there were disappointments along the way and some people as well as big firms let me down. However , it is gratifying to know that in our community, if you approach and ask nicely, people will on the whole oblige. I have learnt that if you advertise for help only one or two come forward but if you approach personally a lot of help and expertise is out there waiting to be tapped. The week before the event was to be staged there was nothing on the walls, nor any boards trimmed or pasted and that is when you start to panic. Will it be done on time? Will anyone turn up? Will we break even? Could I have done it any other way? Should I….Can I…Would I.., the list goes on. On the Thursday and Friday my little band of helpers and arrangers came in dribs and drabs to the church. All laden with flowers and artifacts. Bits of string, wire and cables together with an assortment of tools. Tea and coffee flowed. The ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan!!
Was I proud of what I had done? No, but I was proud of the people in our community of Dunston, Metheringham and Blankney who had rallied to the call. They had spent hours of their time to make the event a success, which it was. To you all I am extremely grateful.
But what now? I do have an awful lot of black and white photographs on my computer. They are copies of photographs people have allowed me to use. I intend to go round everyone who allowed me to use them to see if they will allow me to put them all together and take them to the archives for future generations to see how our villages were. I will, of course, not send any personal photographs. Anyone not wishing their contributions to be forwarded to the archives, I will delete those and respect their wishes. However and there is always a BUT!! People who gave me photographs to use must be aware that I do have a lot of duplicate pictures from other people who are happy for the pictures to go to the archives.
Do I want to organise another event? The short answer is NO. I'll help and put my two penn'th in but when it takes six months out of your life and a threat of divorce I know when to keep my head down!!
Grass cutting in the churchyard seems like a very good idea ( no complaints from the residents!)
Stuart Rogerson
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