2011 Flower Festival

Redlingfield's St Andrews Church held an open gardens and flower festival with arts and crafts stalls on the weekend of June 18 and 19. Despite poor weather the event raised more than £800 for the church fabric fund.

Inside the church there were flower displays on the theme of summertime by: Lesley Rose; Beverley Abbott; Zilla Godfrey; Caroline Risk; Chris Stanford and Peggy Kerry; Rev David Streeter; Margaret Streeter; Georgie Smith; Pip Florance; and Pauline Abbott and Margaret Knights.

Mike Ager added four more display boards on Redlingfield history to those on Redlingfield at War, which were produced for the 2009 flower festival. Mel Saberton's mini traction engine was out and about around the village on Saturday. On Sunday, Chris Stanford played keyboards in the church and there was an impromptu performance on church organ by Harvey before a “songs of praise” in the evening.

As well as the flower displays, arts and craft and other stalls at the church, gardens around the village were open. Midge and Chris Gibbons showed their eco garden and orchard while John Bloomfield showed off his “proper country garden”. The Leeders and Manday Miller on The Knoll showed off their front gardens while Jan Butcher boasted a plantswoman's garden. Jaqui and David Love opened their garden, which is home to chickens, and offered plants and home-made marmalade for sale.

Hazel Abbott, Pauline Abbott and helpers provided refreshments while Madeleine and Roger Ellis ran the bricabrac stall and Lesley Rose organised the raffle and other competitions, including the guess weight of cake. Organisers Linda Hudson and Jacqueline Love would like to thank the many people who worked so hard to make it a success, not least Bert Stanford and Charles Plowman, for the marquees, and Caroline Risk, for allowing public use of her driveway.

Click for the display boards on Redlingfield history (1.5mb).