Henwick Primary School Summer Fair 2017
Report written by Peter Clay for our Autumn 2017 Newsletter
Saturday 8 July 2017
Henwick Primary School
Eltham
This event took place on the 8th July 2017. Usefully we were, as last year, in the hall where refreshments were served. On the downside, although plenty of tables were available they had built-in low benches suitable for young bottoms. This resulted in yours truly perched precariously on a pile of chairs one end, and Brian on some extra high seat like a Wimbledon umpire!
Spectators consisted of parents and children, most of them young. Comments like “cool!" were heard from some children, unlike from some parents — I heard a father tell his son that Meccano was like a sort of metal L**o!
Kids busy building at the Make It With Meccano table
We were honoured to have the local MP, Clive Efford, visit our stall — he chatted to us all (without announcing who he was) and seemed genuinely interested in the models. We gave him a flyer for our show in October — we’ll have to see if he turns up!
So, to the models:
Chris Warrell showed a mini blocksetting crane, Daleks, two small robots from a tin, his Heath Robinson Christmas pudding stirrer, and some small models.
Tim Surtell had his Lightning Leap, Spanish Knight (now modified to take a coin in a slot), maraca, ice cream cart and YouTube ‘1000 subscribers’ plaque. He also did a lot of work in organising everything, putting up banners, and ran Make It With Meccano. Tim reckons about 30–40 took part, including parents. Expecting a lower turn-out he printed 10 certificates and ran out in about half-an-hour!
Tim with the Lightning Leap
Brian Leach had his model of Lullingstone Castle gatehouse, castor mechanism and gearbox. One child declared Brian’s castle to be ‘very professional’ but added that it needed a staircase inside. They’re learning!
Peter Clay brought his Meccanograph of his own design, a № 1 set delivery truck and the new Ferrari from Spin Master. This was notable for the amount of plastic strips etc. and even plastic lock nuts — exactly like a standard Meccano square nut but a tighter fit on the bolts. This in a set that advertised ‘real metal’ on the box!
Peter demonstrates his Meccanograph
Apart from a tendency of young children to take up a model — frequently a car — play with it, and then put it on another person’s table, it seemed to go well on the whole. ‘A good time was had by all.'
My apologies if I’ve got anybody’s model details wrong.
You can see more photos from the Summer Fair in our Facebook album.