| Nevertheless, it is still remarkable that, since last September, a group of men should make 475 wheelbarrows from old timber — mainly pallets that would otherwise have been burned. The wheelbarrows cannot be used as such, but they have been sold at £5 each, planted with flowers, and displayed all over the village.
Along with open gardens, a display of scarecrows, exhibitions in the church, and a series of exciting rides for teddy bears, they were one of the main attractions during the parish’s festival weekend celebrating the 475th anniversary of St James’s (it was one of the few churches built in the time of Henry VIII), and also advertised as 475 years of service to the community.
The church has been holding what started as open-garden weekends for eight or nine years, says the Vicar, Prebendary Tony Wood, and during that time the people have raised £65,000, to which they added another £10,000 this year.
About two-thirds is given to charity, and the rest to church funds. This year, to maintain the 475 theme, £475 has been given to each of the three schools in the parish, and the rest of the money to children’s charities. |
back to Real Life
previous story
|
next story 
%231%23.jpg)
.gif "Caris Magazine for girls aged 11 to 16 © site")
