Crowds flock to first flower festival in decades

The event, which raised £1,351,was the brainchild of churchwarden Jessica Graham who is raising money for a chapel of remembrance and reflection within the grounds of St Teilo's Church, Llantilio Pertholey, on the outskirts of Abergavenny.

The festival also gave her the chance to incorporate the 683 red poppies knitted and crocheted by members of the congregation for the service last May organised by Ms Graham to mark the 100 years since several local men died during the battle of Ypres.

She said:" I am really pleased with the result because it has brought the community together just like it did during the wars. It's 23 years since our last flower festival which was organised by the local Village Produce Association and it's their diamond anniversary this year."

She praised those who created displays for donating their time and the flowers free of charge. The porch was decorated by Jessica to portray In Flanders Field and featured the poppies, replicas of the war graves maintained throughout 154 countries by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the sandbagged trenches. Abergavenny Flower Arrangement Society, Hilary's Florist, Llantilio Pertholey VPA, the local Women's Institute and members of the congregations at St Teilo's, St David's, Llanddewi Skirrid and Bettws Chapel created the rest of the displays which featured the United Nations, the Falklands, Afghanistan, Iraq, the Army, the Navy, the RAF, the Home Guard, theSecond World War and the Great War.

The money raised will go towards the restoration of the former stone shed into the chapel.

The church will now be open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 10.30am and 4.30pm and on Sundays between 2.30pm and 5.30pm for the first time since the 1990s when it was closed because of an act of vandalism.

The next fundraiser will be a Sunday Best sale at the church between 10am and midday on May 28 and a vocal recital by Isabel Gray at 7pm on May 30.