After several months of practice, the annual Broughton Pantomime went on show this weekend, and what fun it was to see Harry involved and enjoying himself. It was an excellent community effort from all those involved.

The people of Broughton must be proud of these events of which I have been to many now, the camaraderie shown by everyone is heart warmingly English, but sadly rare in Hampshire village life nowadays. I lived in the picturesque village of North Waltham for a over a year when I divorced, and was staggered at the lack of community spirit in the village, and an obvious them and us attitude between locals and newcomers, resulting in lack of support for places like the village pub etc.

Broughton seems to have found a happy medium of supporting it’s own, and welcoming new people (me and the boys for example) and in turn the “outsiders” on the whole throw themselves behind community events such as the Panto. I am sure it is not all perfect, and there probably are local dissenters of new money coming in to the area, and rich people who cocoon themselves in their country mansions without giving anything back to the community, but from an outsiders view, the village of Broughton is an idyllic part of England that I had almost forgotten existed.

Now I have said all that, John Terry will probably move in next week and smash the village hall down and build a mock tudor mansion in it’s place.