SUN Hill Infant School in Alresford recently celebrated its 50th birthday with a series of events.

The celebrations were marked by a 1960s Festival Fun Day which was free to past and present pupils, staff and the whole town.

The day began with a Wonderful Wheels Procession with amazingly and creatively decorated bicycles, scooter, wheelbarrows, shopping trolleys - anything without an engine - except for the two leaders. A Fire Engine from Alresford Fire Station and a beautifully decorated 2CV in the school colours of green and yellow led the way from Stratton Bates playing field to the school on Sun Lane.

There was then the opportunity to enjoy pony rides, a petting farm, circus skills with Juggling Jake, football fun, coconut shy, camp fires and pond dipping in the grounds of the school.

Inside there were opportunities to create some ‘golden’ bunting helped by Sip and Stitch, flower crowns with the Alresford Flower Club, a workshop by Drama Beasts, a model railway exhibition, toys from the 1960s lent by Bob Leggett and many more all age activities.

Entertainment was provided by an Open Mic session with past pupils and the energetic Alresford Ukelele Jam.

A display of photographs from the time when the school moved up from The Dean proved very popular as did a Golden Tree of Relations connecting families over the years.

A highly successful and eventful disco ended the day with an amazing light show from the storm that engulfed Alresford as well as the hall floor!

On Monday April 23 the school hosted a past pupil, David Carr, who had gone on to make a name for himself in sailing, being part of the team that won the America’s Cup in 2012/13.

David cut the ribbon on some magnificent ‘golden’ gates that had been commissioned from blacksmith Sam Bailey and paid for by businesses, groups and individuals in the local community.

The children of Sun Hill had worked with Sam on the design and there are some delightful representations of the logos representing groups in the community.

The first people to come through the Golden Gates were the first caretaker, Bill Smith and one of the first pupils Tracy Reilly (Purkiss) in 1968 and the oldest child in the school in 2018.

The day ended with a party for the children with each pupil and member of staff given a Golden Anniversary mug by the Friends of Sun Hill.