Members of the Potterne Tent Group will remember Cedric Pearce with great affection. They like everyone else in the village extend their sympathy to Cynthia and to his family.

Like many others the Group will look back with pleasure upon the times spent with Cedric whether as in they're case erecting or dismantling marquees or elsewhere. This will be especially so at the annual get together and pub meal when Cedric could always be relied upon for good humour and plenty of hair-raising village anecdotes. Mind you the younger members probably didn't believe any of them but the elders always gave the benefit of the doubt thinking that at least one or two might well be true!

As a Group founder and stalwart member in 1974 Cedric was part of all the changes that have taken place since. Having acquired a redundant Army marquee and the smaller Potterne Girl Guide marquee to provide accommodation at the Potterne Vintage Fair (an annual event at the time) the service extended for local and family events throughout the area. The group was and is manned entirely by volunteers. Over the years about £25,000 have been raised and donated almost entirely to village organisations. Charges are reasonable and much below those of commercial operators.

Now both marquees have the benefit of new canopies and sidepieces together with some younger and altogether better looking helpers. As mentioned in a recent magazine issue - long may it continue. Cedric Pearce would have been the first to say that it should. And to volunteer to see that it did!

CJ