Church snowdrop festival with surprise attractions

MORE than 400 people visited All Saints’ Church in Dunsden as it celebrated its eighth snowdrop festival on Sunday.

The visitors admired the white flowers in the graveyard before being welcomed into the church by Adrian Fish, the organist, for a service.

Linda Glithro gave a talk about the history of snowdrops before a surprise guest, Henley town councillor David Eggleton, appeared dressed as a cavalier and spoke about the town’s role in the Civil War.

He also exhibited artefacts, including a helmet and pistols, at the back of the church.

Another surprise guest was Bill Pollard who rode his pennyfarthing down the aisle followed by his friend Matt Richardson pushing his.

The men rode the machines to Paris last year for charity.

They gave a talk on the development of the machine and their adventures riding them. Mr Pollard, 58, from Henley, said they were invited by festival organiser John Bodman, who was a friend.

“It was good fun,” he said. “We had to practise because riding into a church is not something you do every day and there’s not much room for manoeuvring when you’re on a bike that’s 6ft high.” Peter Pearson read an introduction to Wilfred Owen’s poems Deep Under Turfy Grass and Send-off followed by David Williams who sang folk music.

David Woodward discussed the installation of the new Wilfred Owen stained-glass window followed by music from Janet Davey on the piano.

Garth Matthews, of Reading Beekeepers’ Association, spoke about caring for bees and sold honey and David Williams discussed palliative care and the meeting held once a month called Mortality and Cake.

The service took place before the annual festival and homemade cakes and baked goods were served as well as tea, coffee and soup.

There was a raffle with prizes including a trip on the Avon and Kennet Canal for a family of four, a bottle of sloe gin and a £25 token for Reid’s dry cleaners in Henley.