"HALL TOGETHER ose who had worked so hard in 2005 to refurbish the Hall, but it was at the same time ? perhaps the best word ? is "fun".

The Hall itself was welcoming, with festive tables, and the new "up-lighting" which showed off the elegant white vaulted ceiling. Each table had an 1895 account from "The Builder" about the construction of the Hall.

It was a full house which sat down to a splendid meal provided by the "usual group" of ladies, under the able direction of Valerie Smither, from the fully refurbished kitchen. The meal was broadly Italian in style, including Parma-style ham and melon, followed by lasagne and accompanied by Italian wines; next came a wide choice of desserts, all home-made and equally delicious. Home cooking is alive and well at St. Mary?s.

The courses were interspersed with excellent entertainments. First, there was a much reduced "Cinderella", with Julian Varney as Narrator, Wendy in the title role, Sarah Stovell (very much out of character) as the Ugly Sister and her husband, John, as Prince Charming, with Gilda Everson as the Fairy Godmother. It was crisp and very amusing with much audience participation, especially when a deliberately wooden Cinderella replied, again and again, "all right". Next, Churchwarden Hamish Reid recited two poems relevant to refurbishment ? the first a "barrelful" of accidents that befell a bricklayer and the second the very apposite "The Man Who Did It".

After coffee, the Vicar led us, on the unrefurbished piano, in Gilda Everson?s adaptation of "When Father Papered The Parlour"; there was a verse for each of the four main guests of the evening, George Jarrett, Ray Eyres, Malcolm Lawther and John Stovell. The text is set out on page 8. (It had been hoped that David Slattery could be present, but sadly he was ill.) The Vicar then conducted an "investiture", allegedly on "sovereign" authority, with some of the main British honours specially adapted; he presented elegantly produced awards to the four; we now have, for example, a "Knight on the Tiles" and a "Companion of the Bath and Kitchen". The spouses of the four stalwarts received bouquets for their forbearance while their men were working in the Hall.

George responded with the thanks of all four; in particular he himself thanked Ray Eyres, the star of the show. He explained what had been done in the Hall and what work remained; the work planned had been carried out within the ?35,000 budget; with "extras" such as the asbestos removal and the dishwasher, the cost was about ?40,000, somewhat offset by insurance payments and local authority and other grants. He thanked all involved at any stage, including, for example, Ian West, who had prepared plans for the local authority approval. George estimated the volunteers? work had saved between ?10,000 and ?15,000. Ray Eyres, on behalf of the four, responded and thanked George for his splendid leadership and for his devotion, despite back trouble.

The evening concluded with a Quiz, devised by David Dance, including some fiendishly difficult "Anagrams of St Mary?s People" ? more or less apt to the individual concerned? Examples are "CRAVE LOW LIFE" and the intriguing "HAREM VEIL RITES". The winners were the "Young Vicarage Table" and Will Madell kindly shared their (chocolate) prize around. Depending on our Lenten vows, some of us enjoyed our final treat before Lent, of which the Vicar properly reminded us at the end of a delightful evening. We had enjoyed home-made food, music, entertainment and puzzles and had paid thanks to the voluntary workers on the much-needed and much-valued refurbishment of the Hall. We are very grateful to the organising group, led by Churchwarden David Dance and to all others who played their part in the success.

(P.S. The answers to the two anagrams quoted are, respectively, "Vicar of Ewell" and "Valerie Smither".)

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