Newark Parish Church home for first flower festival in many a year as part of The Re-awakening of St Mary Magdalene; Supporting Newark’s Communities project

Close to 2,000 flower stems, more than 800 of them living, were incorporated into a church’s first flower festival for many a year.

Outside of Newark Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene hangs a mesmerising canopy of flowers in a net as a welcoming advertisement.

Inside, the near 2,000 flower stems and who knows how much foliage in their simplistic or intricate arrangements were provided for the festival by committee members’ gardens and garden centres.

Displays were put together by local groups, charities, businesses and individuals and included one by the church stonemason, Fred Clipsham.

The impressive displays run throughout the church and include a gypsophila waterfall cascade from the font.

Over 600 jam jars have been filled by volunteers with small arrangements and were placed throughout the church, creating a splash of colour wherever the eye was drawn.

Some of the jars were donated from the estates of the recently deceased and floral tributes dedicated to the dearly departed, some of whom had their funeral services at the church, bearing their names, were added to the ends of the pews.

One of the displays features an artichoke from an allotment and there was a floral dedication to a Japanese garden.

Pillars were draped with scaffold net with floral displays woven into them.

The smell of fresh herbs also joined the heavy scents of dozens of varieties of flowers.

A feature of the event encouraged children to locate 11 mice hidden in floral arrangements around the church.

Mo the Mouse was written by Kate Jones and drawn by David Morris of Newark Art Club. Finding Mo in his 11 hiding places can be a lengthy pursuit.

It took volunteers long hours over five days to put the displays together. Watering them was a feat of its own.

In the area of St George's Chapel was The Final Sacrifice Display made up of arrangements involving poppies.

There was an area entitled Getting Married in the Morning at St Mary’s that was reminiscent nit just of a church wedding, but also brought the feeling of an outdoor service inside and it was completed with a wedding cake baked and decorated by a committee member.

Such was the vision and level of attention to detail that the children’s area of the church had floral tributes to a Teddy Bear’s picnic and Old Macdonald Had a Farm.

Organiser Fay Bellhouse said: “It gave me goosebumps to see it finished. It was very emotional.

“It’s been such a wonderful thing to see and it has brought people together for a common cause.

“Some of our volunteers have been reacquainted with old school friends or have been reunited with people they haven’t seen regularly for a very long time.

“The very many stories are what has made preparing for this festival moving. From concept to delivery it has taken four months and within that time we have shared so much and learned so much.

“And the festival itself brought a lot of people into Newark to see the beauty of our church.

“Every corner of the church, including the high altar is touched by flowers

“The effort has brought people out of their homes. We have had one lady who is 100 years old in November knit 100 flowers.

“I was driving around with so many jam jars that my car rattled.”

Kay made the first of the floral pew decorations for her committee members and volunteers to follow and it is dedicated to the memories of parents Alice and Ernest and her brother Bruce.

A second is dedicated to the husband of a friend from the US, who had fallen in love with the UK earlier in life, and who always promised his wife he would bring her here, dying before that proved possible.

Sonny’s wife, both were friends of Kay, sponsored one of the pew arrangements so as to be there in spirit.

“I had a moment at the opening of the festival where, knowing so many of the people whose names are on the pews, that I felt that they were there surrounding me,” said Kay.

“It was a beautiful moment.”

The festival, which ended on Sunday, began with a concert on Thursday night of performances from “Ain’t What You Do” singers, poetry reading, a scene from Argent Theatre Group and songs from baritone, Robert-John Edwards that was attended by 75 people.

The entry fee to the concert and the festival raised money for the The Re-awakening of St Mary Magdalene; Supporting Newark’s Communities project, which is a vast concept that aims to re-roof the south aisle, which is badly leaking, repair broken stained glass windows and, at the same time, install photovoltaic panels which will generate electricity to light and power the building.

There would also be new toilets and a café with improved lighting and heating and the west entrance will be automated to ensure everyone can enter the building more easily.

Grants have been secured but there is a shortfall needed for the project to become a reality.