Flower Festival Aims
- To praise God in the beauty of creation.
- To enhance the beauty of the church with the floral interpretation of some of the memories of World War II.
- To work together in the preparation of the festival, and to include as many as possible in the use of the church as a setting for the festival and a place to visit and appreciate.
- To raise funds for the ongoing work of the church, and also the Sussex Snowdrop Trust, providing care for children with life threatening illnesses.
Impressions of the Flower Festival – by Shirley Witcomb
It all starts in the churchyard – Bruce Evans’ ‘Dig for Victory’, Ray Radmall’s model Spitfire, the sandbags – into the air-raid shelter (once the church porch) the bunk-beds, the warnings not to run or scream when emergencies happen. Already, if you are of a certain age, you are transported back in time to what was ‘real life’ for us. Ears open to hear people saying aloud to themselves – ‘overwhelming’.
The year’s thoughts of flower arrangers, designers, carpenters and the gathering of equipment, sharing of ideas and vivid memories certainly paying off and all coming together. The immediate impact is to take you on a Dr Who time travel experience – the carrying of gas masks, always, everywhere, the nights spent in the shelter where I learned to knit, Mum reading the comics to us – we heard the bombs falling all around us, but had no idea what that meant. When we were older, being told of cousin Jack’s photo on his piano – his RAF Squadron – three rows of young men smiling – Jack was the only survivor – probably explained why he never, ever, smiled. Cousin Bill, so recently married and being killed in Japan the day after Peace was declared.
Oh yes! Where was I? I’m walking around the peaceful church, looking at the amazing floral arrangements depicting fires, bridges, ‘little ships’ of Dunkirk and eventually to street parties held outside the colourful front doors with empty milk bottles awaiting the daily deliveries – the old men’s (young men away at war) and the toddlers’ wellington boots on the doorsteps, obviously filled with pretty flowers. Longing to eat one of the tasty-looking party sandwiches, which looked so freshly made – oh! and being told that the bread is white oasis, very difficult to find (imported from Cornwall) and on closer look, the fillings were of petals, not tomatoes! The cupcakes on the three tiered stand, the jellies – alas! all flowers – the old type pop bottles. . . . missed so many details, must go around again another day.
Gallery I – by Bruce Evans
Gallery II – by Barry Stimpson
