Findon Valley Residents Association 90th Anniversary Garden Party Celebrates Community and Volunteers

Aug 16

4 min read

The Findon Valley Residents Association marked its 90th anniversary on Sunday 9 August 2026 with a garden party in the community garden, bringing residents, volunteers and friends together for an afternoon of music, refreshments and local pride.

The event celebrated much more than a milestone year. It was a chance to recognise the people who keep the Association going, the neighbours who show up when help is needed, and the steady work carried out with good humour throughout the year.

Live music, from the Worthing Silver Band, set the tone for the afternoon, while glasses of Pimm’s, slices of cake and ice cream gave the gathering the feel of a classic summer celebration. At the centre of the occasion was a special unveiling by guest of honour Miss Jennifer Goddard, who revealed a newly commissioned roundel created by local ceramicist Hilary Ward.

A milestone marked in the community garden

The community garden made a fitting setting for the anniversary gathering. It is the kind of place that reflects what local associations do best: bring people together, care for shared spaces and create a sense of belonging.

For the Findon Valley Residents Association, reaching 90 years is a notable achievement. Associations of this kind are built on consistency. They rely on people giving time, energy and ideas, often quietly and without fuss. The garden party gave that work a public and joyful moment of thanks.

Throughout the afternoon, guests were able to meet, talk and enjoy the surroundings. Some came to celebrate long-standing links with the Association. Others came to support neighbours, friends and volunteers. The result was a warm, sociable occasion that reflected the everyday spirit of Findon Valley.

The anniversary also offered a moment to look back. Ninety years suggests generations of local involvement, committee work, community projects, conversations, practical tasks and neighbourly support. While the Association has changed with the times, its purpose remains clear: to help care for the area and strengthen local connections.

Miss Jennifer Goddard unveiled the anniversary roundel

A highlight of the afternoon was the unveiling of the specially commissioned ceramic roundel by guest of honour Miss Jennifer Goddard, whose parents were founding members of the FVRA.

The roundel, made by local ceramicist Hilary Ward, was created to mark the Association’s 90th anniversary. Commissioning a local artist gave the celebration a lasting feature with a clear connections to the area. The roundel will be a lasting visual reminder, whatever the season in the garden.

The unveiling gave the garden party its formal centrepiece. Guests gathered to see the work revealed, recognising both the anniversary and the creative skill behind the piece.

A celebration of volunteers and year-round commitment

The anniversary party was also a tribute to the volunteers who support the Findon Valley Residents Association and the Friends of Findon Valley Volunteer group throughout the year.

Community work is often most visible at events, but much of it happens behind the scenes. Volunteers plan, prepare, tidy, communicate, organise, carry, welcome and follow up. They do practical jobs that keep things moving, and they do them because they care about where they live.

The garden party recognised that effort. It celebrated the reliable work done with a smile, not just on special days, but across the seasons.

Volunteers are the heart of any residents association. They help turn good intentions into real activity. They make sure ideas become plans, and plans become events, improvements or support for others. Their contribution is not always measured in grand gestures. More often, it is seen in small acts done regularly.

That is why the 90th anniversary mattered. It offered a chance to say thank you in public. It showed that the Association’s history is not only about dates and committees. It is about people choosing to give their time for the benefit of others.

The phrase “hard work given with a smile” captures the spirit of the day. It speaks to the friendliness that makes volunteering feel less like a duty and more like a shared commitment. It also reflects the kind of culture that keeps an association going for nine decades.

Ninety years of neighbours working together

A 90th birthday invites both pride and reflection. For a residents association, that length of service means it has remained relevant through many changes in daily life.

Findon Valley will not be the same place it was when the Association began. People move in and out. Local needs shift. Communication changes. Events take different forms. Yet the basic value of neighbourly organisation remains strong.

Residents associations help create channels for local voices. They offer ways for people to work together on shared concerns and shared pleasures. They can care for community spaces, host events, support local identity and keep people connected.

The garden party showed that this work still matters. People came together not for a formal meeting or a campaign, but to celebrate being part of a community. That is just as valuable.

The anniversary also reminded everyone that continuity depends on renewal. Each generation of volunteers builds on what came before, while adding its own ideas and energy. The people who helped with this event are part of that living chain.

The community garden as a place of connection

Holding the party in the community garden gave the celebration extra meaning. Gardens invite people to slow down. They make space for conversation, shared tasks and simple enjoyment. They are also built through care, which makes them a natural home for a residents association event.