Festival to feature shrunken gardens
For decades miniature gardens have been popular with village shows and WI competitions and now a Shropshire church is keeping the tradition alive by holding its own festival.
People in and around Wellington are being encouraged to show off their gardening skills - but only in miniature.
The congregation at Christ Church is staging a miniature garden festival on Saturday and Sunday, and it has really sparked people's imaginations.
One of the entries has even been knitted!
The festival was organised to help raise money for a major refurbishment inside the building which is costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Christ Church is hosting the festival weeks after raising £2,500 from a fundraising auction which attracted around 300 people.
Money raised so far has gone towards the church's new roof.
Last year the building was covered in scaffolding while the £195,000 structure was installed.
This time the money will go towards improving the interior.
John Davies, spokesman for Christ Church, said: "Our next job is to refurbish inside the church, creating community areas, a new toilet and a cafe area."
More than 25 miniature gardens are due to feature in the free festival, which will run from 10am to 1pm on Saturday and from 2pm on Sunday, with one of the creative gardens even being knitted.
Contributors include Telford College of Arts and Technology, which is due to exhibit eight gardens, including seven created by students with learning difficulties and disabilities.
TCAT tutor Sue Conneely said: "They made the gardens using recycled materials as part of their sustainability awareness and as part of their journey planning course, because they went to the church."
Severn Hospice is also getting involved along with Ercall Wood School and the Stay project at Octavia Court, which is a supported housing scheme that houses vulnerable, single young women aged between 16 and 32.
Toni Podmore, scheme co-ordinator at Octavia Court, said: "The girls like to engage with the church and show their appreciation for what the church does for them, such as providing welcome packs, food parcels, Christmas presents and raising money for trips."
Volunteers at Sunnycroft, the National Trust's Edwardian villa in Wellington, are producing a miniature garden along with Telford Lions and the YMCA.
Dill Buchanan, spokeswoman for the church, said: "We decided we wanted to do something different. "We had a Christmas tree festival which everyone enjoyed doing and thought we would do this as well." On Sunday the church will also host its annual fun day from 2pm, which will include a free bouncy castle.
Last year they raised £500 for the church and organisers are hoping for similar success.
The New College Chorale, directed by Bob Wysome, will also perform on May 18 at 7.30pm in the church.
The programme includes music by Vaughan Williams and Monteverdi with the main work being John Rutter's setting of the Requiem Mass.
Tickets cost £7.50 or £5 concessions which are available by calling (01952) 242617, and on the door.
Members of amateur operatic group TADLOP will sing for around 20 minutes from noon on Saturday to advertise their next production.
They will be performing their version of classic story The Secret Garden at Oakengates Theatre from May 29 to May 31 at 7.30pm with a matinee at 2.30pm on Friday, May 31.
