Our reputation enabled us to get an invite to this show. A member of
the APT, Dave Stevens, who was giving up his slot at the show, put TW forward
to appear at this show.

However when Malcolm, Helen, Phil, Jo and myself arrived at the
showground early on the Saturday morning I did wonder if we had done the
right thing, as the omens where not good.

Unpacking the big shelter we discovered one of the cross pieces was
missing but Malcolm's boy scout training came to the fore as he managed to
lash up a hazel rod to enable us to have the shelter up. However, there was
only one solution to the next problem, and that was to go all the way back to
Henfield, to collect the beds for my pole-lathe, which were still in our shed.
Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to cut down a nearby tree and produce from
it the beds for my pole-lathe.

Saturday was the first day, and was probably about the busiest day of
2005 for events, including cricket, the Lions rugby in Australia, and, to cap it all,
the Live 8 concert. So, our first day at this show was not very busy, but given our
earlier problems, it might have been a blessing in disguise. On the Sunday, it was
a completely different story, and a new set of volunteers found that they were
rushed off their feet

This is a grand little show, and the Woodlanders hope to be invited back
in 2006 to put on another display.

- by Chris Burchell-Collins