752 The Essex Gem and Mineral Festival – Saturday 23rd February 2019

If you are in the area or close by, I strongly suggest you go down and check this out next time because it is such a great event. I have been three or four times now and each time I have enjoyed it. I don’t know what but something about it just makes the event so inviting and enjoyable. It is held in a small community centre in North Romford. I first heard about it through a group I have been a member of for 14 years called Rock watch. I will leave a link to their website so you can check it out below. Anyway, when you become a member, 3-4 times a year you get a little booklet full of events, digs and visits that you can go to. My grandad takes me and my cousins to as many events/visits we can get to every year mostly booked or with the Rockwatch group.

Moving back to The Essex event. I would describe it as a very posh indoor car boot sale, the main difference is that it is the stall owners sell and show off their collections instead of the possessions they don’t want anymore. I even recognise some of the stall holders now as they are there year after year. It is such a close-knit community event, everyone is there because they want to be there, and no one is at work they are all there sharing their collections and selling from the collection because they want to be there. The care and attention put into this event are clear. They provide refreshments and lunch, and it is a typical back-to-basics England lunch. They are not there to make a profit; they just want to provide their guests will lunch but keep themselves afloat. You don’t get a tea or a coffee with a brand on it, they aren’t in takeaway cups, it is just a good old fashion cup of tea.

For Grandad and I to have lunch and a cup of tea it cost us £6, we had a home and freshly made sausage sandwich each with a drink. It was volunteers who are making the lunch, although they are busy and ran off their feet there is no sense, they don’t want to be there. They are all happy to support their community centre.

I found some nice bits for myself and other there are some special pieces it is all reasonably priced. There were a few nice pieces that I thought were overpriced, but you must take into consideration how much work went into providing the said pieces.

Although it was not a huge event in size (there were two smallish halls) there was a good collection of stalls and high-quality stalls there. I found out this time that a couple of the stalls were from overseas, there was a gentleman from France there, and many of the specimens across the hall were from Morocco.

So, if you are available in the area please do go down and check it out next year. The next event at this location is on the 22nd of February 2020 so put it in your diaries now.