The shoe shiners

Who are you?

I’m Angela Blackwell and I am part of the Chichester Boys' Club staff team who have attended the Goodwood Revival since 2002. We provide the shoe shining service just near Gasoline Alley at the Revival.

How did your group get involved with Revival?

We were fortunate enough to be the chosen charity for our starting year and were keen to provide an activity to promote ourselves at the event. The shoeshine boxes were found in the loft at the club and shoeshine at Goodwood was born. They are original kiwi boxes that were used for club week to raise funds years ago.

The Chichester Boys’ Club team offer a true shoeshine experience from 7 in the morning until 7 in the evening. We have regular customers from many countries that look out for us every year. Customers tell us that a shoeshine from the team is an integral part of their Revival experience and how they always look forward to “a good buff up”!

What has made you return to the Revival so many times?

We love the Goodwood Revival, being part of it and all that it offers. Goodwood invite us every year and the experience of the event is far outreaching for both the young people, staff and the customers alike. The Revival has given many young people the opportunity to develop and array of life skills including, the art of communication, the impact and importance of volunteering and better understanding of self.

Can you tell us about a Revival moment that stands out?

The whole weekend is just beautiful, from the atmosphere to the outfits and it’s like being in another world! There are a number of memories that stand out for us.

We have a few families that have been coming every year since their children were babies. They always visit us on the Sunday to have their shoes shined so they are ready for school on Monday morning!

Do you have any fun stories you’d like to share?

It’s hard to pin point any one situation as the whole event is such good fun. We spend the whole weekend laughing. The time when Alice was very little and wanted to count the money in the buckets, whilst trying to do this fell backwards into the behind her and was caught on camera by The Observer. Bless her.