St Bartholomew’s Church marked the First World War commemorations with the community flower festival and is inviting groups, schools and individuals to take part.
St Bart’s has unique links with First World War. Henry Webber, churchwarden from 1881 to 1891 was the oldest man to be killed on the Somme. A carved screen and memorial tablet in the church bear witness to that fact. When many farm horses were sent to the front, elephants from Sangers Circus - based in what is now Sangers Drive - took over ploughing the fields and transporting the hay.
In commemoration of the sacrifice made by Henry Webber and hundreds of thousands of his contemporaries, the church held a First World War Centenary Exhibition and Flower Festival in 2014. Local organisations, companies and individuals were invited to take part by writing articles or poems, exhibiting artwork or artefacts or providing a floral exhibit.
