We had three outings in December: Hungerford Victorian Extravaganza on the 9th, The Plough at Eastbury on 21st and The Queen’s Arms, East Garston on Boxing Day.

At each event we collected funds in support of a fellow Morris Dancer, Ben Moss, who is planning to dance around the London Marathon next year in aid of  - "Sense".   This is a charity that supports deaf and blind people in various ways.

The evening of 9th December was freezing cold so we were glad of our rag jackets, gloves and Santa hats. We had fun dancing at different places around the town before and after the parade. At 7pm we gathered behind a piped band and some stilt walkers for the parade.

A selection of miniature steam engines took up the rear of the parade.

We had learnt a new processional dance for the occasion, but hadn’t expected the route to be so long! We were quite exhausted before we were half-way up the High Street and were feeling pressured by the engines puffing up behind us. Not our best performance, but exciting anyway.

Still enough energy left for a couple of group photographs.

Text : Jackie Breadmore
Photos : Sharon Causebrook