THE SUMMER BARBECUE

Enjoying the barbecue

It was decided at one of our regular meetings several weeks prior, that what our Walsall -Wplverhampton branch of the UK Independence Party really needed was a bit more dosh in the piggy bank in readiness for whenever the general election is called. That is when Gordon Brown has the guts to call it - more like. So, a decision was made to hold a summer barbecue and plans were put underway. There was one slight problem,

however, this year it looks as if summer has been cancelled, we seem to have gone straight from spring to autumn.

From the beginning Tony Lenton and Alan Sheath took over the running of operation BBQ, Alan and Dorothy Sheath kindly offered the use of their sizeable garden for the event. They beavered away like Trojans, they found the best deals for the booze, they got the beefburgers, bangers and everything else by scouring all the special offers in the supermarkets

went to the discount stores for all the other things we needed - they did a tremendous job between them. We also contacted and roped in family and friends, they all coughed up £10 a head for the privilege of being there, I sent out mass e-mails around the other UKIP members in the Midlands and around the country, plus promoting the barbecue in the Euro Realist newsletter, and in the end around thirty five people came along for the afternoon.

Not being used to cooking on a barbecue it took a little time to get used to the contraption Liz Hazel and her hubby, Daren had managed to get for the day,but no one complained about their slightly singed sausages and cremated burgers until I got the hang of the thing. Rescue came in the shape of Michael Jose who took over sizzling duties which meant I could take some photographs of the event.  Naturally, as you would expect from a gathering of political activists, and you can see from the above photograph on the left, where you can see from left to right: my father-in-law Fred English, Gordon Smith, Steve Fowler and Tim Melville, having a good chat about the problem of the EU and how we can solve it.

On the whole a good and very pleasant afternoon was spent in some convivial company, although the cooking by me may have been a little suspect.  The kids who came along had a good time running around, there was more than enough booze and food and, most importantly for an outdoor event, the rain held off.

Liz Hazell and lads waving everyone off after the event.