The combination I'd the presumed charity aid and the baby dress reminded me of another scene from my early years. Every year, on Boxing Day, there was the Pagham Pram Race. Basically a pair, or occasionally more, of people would dress up, and one push the other around the village in a decorated pram. The lighter the pram the faster, but there were also prizes for best outfits. It started and ended at the largest pub, and, I think, went via two others, so I assume the combatants, I think always men, were well fuelled for their run in the cold, although I was not aware of this at the time. I used to go down to the pub car park with my Dad, and join the crowd waiting to cheer them in. They would drink a pint of beer as fast as possible and the carry on to the next pub.
On checking via google, it still goes on every year, although the costumes don't look as silly as I remember. See:
There were three pubs in the area. The Lamb, the Bear and the Lion were all around a crossroad in the village of Nyetimber, and the Kings Beach which was by our flat. This one was much larger. I remember having a large birthday party there one year. I must have been about 5. All the local children came, and we sat at trestle tables and had a conjuror. We had toy snowmen with presents inside. My birthday was February so they were probably from Christmas leftovers, but we all thought they were wonderful. I didn't have many formal parties, but I remember this one vividly. I got so excited I cried and had to sit on my Dads knee. I also remember one the following year when I went to my friend Sally's house. She had her birthday on the same day as me, and lived in the next village inland. We had toy snowmen stuffed with toys again. I wonder if they were new, or if someone, probably my mother, thriftily saved them and added new toys?
