WITH headliner Lemar topping the bill, more than 2,000 funseekers flooding in and East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds on hand to present the prizes, Fest In The Field was hailed a huge success.

Organisers The Friends of Binsted School raised “a good chunk” of the £113,000 needed to build a new classroom at the village school thanks to the popular festival at Kingsley’s Country Market.

It was an ambitious project to take on and a first one for the organisers but they pulled out all the stops to make it an “event to remember”.

There was something for all ages and a wealth of activities in the Sports Zone for the youngsters with, Kingsley Tennis Club, Farnham Archery Club and Pompey in the Community giving them a chance, all for free, to have some special coaching.

There was also a Kids Zone, with everything from face painting and henna tattoos to games and activities, and a craft market.

And around the grounds there were group demonstrations taking place, with plenty of entertainment provided on the Breeze Radio stage where Breakfast Show presenters Jez and Lou provided comedic value while introducing the acts along with radio personality Robert Kenney.

Another highlight was the Queen’s Tea Tent – as one of the reasons for holding the festival was to honour Her Majesty’s 90th birthday – with patrons offering a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday to her.

Seven bands and musicians, including Joe Waller from Bordon and Ellamentl from Alton, provided some lively session music.

And there was music of a different kind earlier in the day with a choir competition involving seven schools. It was won by St Matthew’s Primary School in Blackmoor, who received congratulations from Mr Hinds as he handed them the winner’s trophy.

Other competing choirs came from Binsted, The Butts in Alton, Bentley, Chawton, Bordon Juniors, and Rowledge.

In the evening Lemar, the R and B singer-songwriter and record producer, who came third on television’s British Fame Academy, gave a solo performance that brought applause and cheers plus a stampede of autograph hunters.

He took time to chat to the audience and the children and it was clear he had enjoyed his visit to Kingsley.

One of the organising committee, Caroline Thomas, who has a daughter at the Binsted school, said: “It was a lovely day. We are so glad it went well and was so well supported as it is the first time we have held anything like this. We couldn’t believe how many people came and how many brought picnics and some large picnic tables to really make a day of it.”

It was a lot to organise and she thanked Breeze Radio for sponsoring the event and the Ahmadiyya Muslims from East Worldham for helping with the organisation and assisting at the festival as well as donating the posters and leaflets.

“Also on the day the ladies from the Ahmadiyya community did the henna tattooing for us,” added Caroline.

The Friends of Binsted School are going all out in their fundraising to get the much-needed classroom. Caroline explained that Binsted is an old Victorian Church of England primary school which, due to rising numbers and the introduction of the new National Curriculum last year, has seen the year groups re-organised into four different year groups.

However, the school has only three dedicated classrooms which has meant leaving two year groups, one class, without a classroom. The children in years three and four are now permanently taught in the school hall, which is not a sustainable solution and leaves the school without an on-site indoor sports facility and the children have to break early in order to set up for lunch and assemblies.

The additional classroom is needed to provide a stable teaching environment and to enable the school hall to be bought back into service, accommodating assemblies, performances, PE, gym, and music lessons.

“This,” said Caroline, “is why we are on an aggressive fundraising path and tapping into local council purses and organising fun events, like the Fest in the Field.”