News/Photos 2023

Sunday 31st December 2023 - New Year's Eve party at West Grimstead

We held our Mulepacker New Year's Eve party at West Grimstead Village Hall this year.  Although many people spend New Year's Eve with family, we always try to have a small get together.  We spent the time dancing, enjoying American supper and having a multi-choice quiz.  At midnight, Mel's husband, Nick played Auld Lang Syne on bagpipes and, as is our tradition, we shot the moon at midnight.  Our raffle raised £58 for our new charity (thanks Kelly for taking this on).  Thanks too for everyone bringing lovely plates of food and helping out.  See photos and a compilation clip below ...

Saturday 16th December 2023 - Christmas Supper Dance with RJ Montana

We held our Mulepacker Christmas supper evening at Laverstock Village Hall with 45 attending, so it was quite cosy!  Rob entertained us with live music and played lots of the dances we have been learning and those we do regularly.  Mike DJ'ed for us too.  We had our Christmas Supper of turkey, ham, pigs in blankets, a range of salads, cheeses and gateaux, followed by more dancing.  Our raffle raised £132 which goes towards our 2024 charity - the Laverstock Village Hall fund.

Thanks to RJ Montana (Rob) for entertaining us so brilliantly, Marg for doing the raffle, everyone who brought prizes, Selina, Pete, Jan, Fred & Silv for arriving early to set up and the wonderful team who clear up in the kitchen and help to leave the hall as we found it.  We are so very lucky to have club members who all work so well together and support each other, so another big THANK YOU.  See photos below ....

Sunday 17th September 2023 - Tea Dance with Chris Harris

Another successful afternoon tea dance with Chris Harris singing for us and a wonderful spread of cakes to enjoy.  Some of our members make the most fabulous cakes for which a huge thank you.  Mel's husband, Nick, and Mike's daughter, Deb helped in the kitchen as did Shirley's friends, Di and Helen.  They did a grand job, supported by Mary and Ian and several of our own who did a stint of serving and washing up.  Thank you so much.

The floor was particularly sticky this time which made dancing a bit challenging.  We like Alderbury Hall for its convenience and it fits about 60 of us in comfortably, but we might explore bigger options for the future if numbers continue to rise as they are doing.

The raffle (thanks Marg for doing this) made £115, extra sales of cakes £45 and we topped this up from the funds to £220 towards our Charity, the Community Farm at Laverstock.  That means the charity has now topped £1,500.  Wel done everyone.

We had to be out promptly for another hall booking after us, so grateful thanks to the crew who helped us clear up, pack cars etc.  Thank you Jan, Pete, Rob, Selena, Mike  and everyone who came early and stayed later.  See a few photos below ....

Sunday 27th August 2023 - June's Pimms and Cream Tea Afternoon

June very kindly hosted an afternoon of line dancing in her garden to raise funds for our 2023 charity.  She provided Pimms, nibbles, cream teas, sandwiches, sausage rolls and cakes - in fact, an amazing spread.  We had a really lovely afternoon in her beautiful garden and the sun shone on us for some of the time and more importantly, the rain held off.  Gill and Sheila also made cakes and sausage rolls and kept us all replete.  Together with the raffle, she raised £370 which is a wonderful contribution to this year's fund for the Community Farm at Laverstock.  A massive thanks for being the perfect host and giving everyone such a lovely afternoon.  See photos below ...

20th July 2023 - we did a demo at Salisbury Manor care home.

See the page "NEWS, DEMOS, FETES" for details and photos.

9th - 12th June 2023 - Street Dance Weekend

Several Mulepackers spent the weekend at the Wessex Hotel in Street for a line and partner dance break organised by Lesley Coles.  We had line dance tuition by Lois Lightfoot who  recapped Never Drinking Again and American Kids.  She taught Drinking Problem and Up the Creek, also Neon Hearts.  Our partner dance tuition was by Carol and Alan who taught us Yesterday's Bed and Lover Please Come Back.  They also recapped Bandera Waltz.  Our evening entertainment was provided by Chris Harris, Tony Crooks and Rory O'Neill.   There was a dance shoe shop on site where several of us bought dance trainers and sparkly shoes.

Several of us ventured out to the Clarks Shopping Village and the local shops and came back with large carrier bags of goods.  One or two went to Glastonbury and further afield too.  I think the consensus was that it was very hot, very tiring, but a lot of fun.  See photos below ...

23rd April 23 - St. George's Day Tea Dance

Another lovely afternoon tea dance with Mickey Page entertaining us with two great sets of music covering loads of songs we dance to.  Teas, coffees and cakes were served all afternoon.  Thanks to our team who made such delicious cakes and to our kitchen volunteers: Nick, Deb, Di, Jaymie, Owen and Sam.  The raffle alone made £167 (thank you Margaret for doing this and to everyone for donating prizes).  After costs, we are able to add just over £300 to our 2023 charity (Community Farm at Laverstock).  This is an amazing amount, in part due to having such brilliant numbers.  We were very much at full capacity for the hall.  Thank you to all our friends from Southampton areas who support us at these dances.

The afternoon was made interesting by the mobile phone alarms which went off at 3 pm in the middle of the singer's first set.  This was the government's test alarm system, but we coped and danced through it in the main.

The setting up and clearing up at the end of these dances goes so smoothly for us as we have such kind help from several people who come early and stay on to put tables and chairs away.  Sorry to be boring and to repeat this, but it is genuinely appreciated.  See some photos below ...

12th February 23 - Valentine's Tea Dance

This was our first Sunday afternoon social dance, planned so that people don't have to drive home late at night in the dark and bad weather.  It was well supported by our own clubs and friends from Netley Marsh and Southampton area clubs.  It all went down well.  We had our own Rob (RJ Montana) doing a brilliant set for us which included some of the dances we have been doing at the clubs; Somebody Like You, Til You Can't, Messed Up in Memphis, You Can Hear a Heartbreak, Trail of Tears; to name just a few.  We stopped for cakes and refreshments half way through the afternoon and were treated to several delicious home made cakes (thanks especially to those who made them -  especially the amazing gluten free range!).

Thank you to Marg for doing the raffle again which made £130 and we have been able to top  this up to £235 to donate to our charity - a fantastic start for the Community Farm at Laverstock.

We have a lovely team of members who help set out the tables and chairs, clear up at the end, donate raffle prizes, make cakes and generally make the whole thing work - so many thanks Mulepackers!  See photos below ...