St Stephen’s Ceilidh

After a very moving and uplifting School Mass on Wednesday 22nd April to celebrate the official opening of St Stephen’s on that day in 1969, the parishioners were given a chance to let their hair down.
Two days after the Mass 90 or so people converged on St Peter’s school hall on a sunny evening looking forward to a carefully planned Ceilidh. The hall had been beautifully decorated by Nicky and Pip with bunting, flowers and candles, and Paul and Jon (together with some onlookers) fitted colourful fairy lights. Two huge silver balloons were suspended from the rafters - a 4 and a 0, to remind us of the 40th anniversary, hovered over our heads.
We were greeted by the Bursledon Village Band treating us to traditional country-dance music. Soon we were invited on the dance floor and after a few instructions the dancing started. It did not take long for everyone to get involved: boys danced with girls, girls danced with girls, the beauty of a Ceilidh is that anything goes! It was great fun to learn the routines and execute the dances. There were a lot of happy faces! Nigel and his band made sure that most people had a go.
All evening Jon and Paul led their very efficient bar staff and provided a wide variety of drinks. During an interval Liz Tipple and her hard-working team produced a delicious ploughman’s supper. It was great to see our young people so willing to help in the serving of the food and the clearing of tables – and all of that with a smile on their faces! Then it was on to the raffle. Imelda, Doreen and Gill had been selling tickets all evening. Clare oversaw the draw and many exciting prizes were won.
Soon we were back on the dance floor. At 11.00 o’clock the dancing stopped although most people would have loved to carry on but rules are rules!!!  Exhausted and happy all went home (except the gang who had to get the hall ready for Sunday morning’s breakfast!)  A big thank-you to all of those who were involved in what proved to be a very successful evening.
A special thank-you to Cath, Head of St Peter’s, for letting us use this lovely venue for our celebration.

Christel and Michael McCartney