TILFORD Parish Church was bedecked with radiant colour and filled with summer fragrance for a flower festival to mark its 150th anniversary over the weekend of June 3 and 4.

Visitors came from near and far to join in the celebrations. Entry was free as was tea with home-made cakes, but visitors were generous with their voluntary donations towards the upkeep of the noted Victorian Church of All Saints, consecrated on July 10, 1867.

The church had become a hive of activity on the day before the festival opened, with all ages from toddler to 90-plus busy preparing their exhibits.

Most of the village took part, groups and organisations of many kinds, together with Waverley Abbey and All Saints Schools, Tilford Meadows Nursery, The Barley Mow pub, the Village Shop, and the Rural Life Centre, plus a number of individuals, and all the church groups.

Jars of brightly coloured flowers, produced by the children, decorated the path from the lychgate to the porch, the pew ends on the central aisle and the area around the font.

A vast variety of large floral exhibits were displayed throughout the church, with no pillar, plinth or corner neglected. The window sill decorations were chosen to tone with the rich colours of the Victorian stained glass.

A decoration of white lilies festooning the pulpit was the work of Fred Wilkinson, floral decorator for royalty and former director of the Constance Spry School of Floral Decoration at Moor Park, his gift to the church.

The Flower Festival was organised by Helen Jonathan, who heads the Church Flower Group.

She said: “The response from the village was extraordinary. They were all very different organisations but they came together – people really seem to enjoy collaborating.”

She was assisted as organiser by Jane Mathias, who led the Church Flower Group for many years, until recently she handed over to Helen.

Organisations and groups taking part included the Church Flower Group, All Saints Juniors, Tilford WI, Tilford & Rushmoor Neighbours Scheme, Tilford Brownies, Tilford Bach Society, The Choir, the PCC, the Sacristans, Tilford Gardening Club, Tilford Art Group and St Thomas-on-the Bourne.

Parish priest Canon Heather Hutchinson, concluded: “What a wonderful opportunity this has provided for neighbours who in some cases did not even know each other before to become friends in the shared activity of making the church so beautiful.”