A Festival of Flowers taking place from June 29-July 3 at St Mary’s Church will mark a number of landmark anniversaries being recognised this year.

The festival will begin with a preview evening, attended by the Lord Lieutenant and other civic and church leaders on June 28, with tickets on sale now from the Tithe Barn.

The festival will be closed on Saturday afternoon, but open again during the evening when an informal concert will be given by Simon Pratt, the church’s former concentor and post graduate student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

On Saturday morning at 10.30am the 5th Abergavenny Brownies will re-enact the demonstrations that were seen prior to women getting the vote 100 years ago and will show off the commemorative banners they have been working on. They along with Gwent WI have each created the festival displays to mark the Suffragette Centenary.

The Sunday Sung Eucharist at 11am on Sunday, July 1 will include a sermon by the Dean of St Asaph, The Very Reverend Nigel Williams and on Sunday Evening at 6pm there will be a service which gives an opportunity to mark in prayer and readings the anniversaries the festival acknowledges. Among these will be the 70th birthday of the Prince of Wales, the centenary of the ending of hostilities in World War I and the creation of the Royal Air Force, the centenary of women’s suffrage, the centenary of the founding of the Order of St John Priory for Wales and the 65th anniversary of HM The Queen’s Coronation and 70th anniversary of her wedding to The Duke of Edinburgh

Local anniversaries included are the 20th anniversary of Abergavenny Food Festival, the 30th and 50th anniversaries respectively of the twinning with Beaupreau in France and Ostringen in Germany and the 15th Anniversary of Diocesan Link between Monmouth and The Highveld.

Welcoming the news of the Festival the Vicar, Canon Mark Soady said, “The Priory Church down the centuries has been the place where the town comes to celebrate and to weep. I am very grateful to the Abergavenny Flower Arrangement Society for helping us mark some of this year’s important anniversaries.”

Good news from St Peter’s Church

There is encouraging news from St Peter’s Church. Llanwenarth Citra. The restoration team has secured enough money from Charities like the Heritage Lottery Fund and The National Churches Fund together with local fundraising initiatives to begin Phase 1 of the work to restore the church; the repair of the roofs of the nave and chancel.

“We hope to start the work in the next few weeks” says Pip Hassall the project manager and churchwarden.

“We are now setting our sights on raising the funds for Phase 2, restoring the tower and installing a toilet and simple kitchen area [likely to cost over £300,000. It is going to be even harder to raise the money as the Lottery funds and being spread even thinner.”

To this end, Pip is going to open her garden at Pant yr Onen (pictured) again on Sunday, May 20 – the day after the Royal Wedding.

“Last year we raised over £1,500 thanks to some lovely weather so I am hoping we are lucky again. There will be plants for sale and teas will be served and I hope lots of people will come along”.

This is a rare opportunity to look around this private garden which includes a vegetable plot, meadow areas, fruit cage and herbaceous borders filed with an eclectic mix of plants which try to give interest throughout the year.

Pant yr Onen is about 1 ½ miles west of Abergavenny off the A40 going towards Crickhowell. Turn left just before Pyscodlyn Farm Caravan site and follow the signs. Car parking will be available.