Shropshire Star

So, which Whitchurch are you from again?

There are a dozen of them in the UK – and Shropshire boasts the biggest of them all.

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And people living in them are so proud of their association with them that a special celebration is being held.

The common link is the name Whitchurch, one of the most common titles for a town or village in the country.

Shropshire's version has a population of around 9,000 and the smallest is near Stratford-on-Avon and is a hamlet with just five houses.

Whitchurch, Hampshire, is now planning to host the Worldwide Whitchurch Weekend, a three-day event celebrating all things Whitchurch – which derives from the name White Church.

People are expected to attend from all over the UK, with the prospect of guided tours, parades, a bake off, tug of war, gala party, fun fair, stalls and a barbecue. Such is the size of the event that a special camp site is being created to cope with the crowds.

Whitchurch inhabitants will come from leafy Buckinghamshire and the suburbia of Bristol and Cardiff. There are also guests expected from Whitchurch-On-Thames, Whitchurch Hill, Whitchurch in Herefordshire, Whitchurch in Devon and Whitchurch in both Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire.

And invites have even gone out to beyond our shores, in Canada.

Mike McDonald, mayor of Shropshire's Whitchurch, is deciding whether he and a delegation should attend the festival, which starts on July 17.

He is up for the party – but needs to make sure a visit would be a wise use of taxpayers' money.

Councillor McDonald said: "The town council has discussed this and we are asking for more details before we commit to anything.

"If it is appropriate for someone to go and represent the town then I would go. But we need more details first.

"I think the celebrations will be good for the right reason. I think it is a worthy thing to support if Whitchurch is celebrated.

"Anything to promote our town is good.

"I think it is a good event for Whitchurch, Hampshire, but can we justify it for our town?

"We are very proud of our town and would like to promote it in any way we can.

"It is the first event like this so it is a bit unknown; this is why we need to have a look into what it entails."

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