AN Open Gardens event will be held this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 23 to 24, at Morchard Bishop, which will raise funds for the village parish church.

Opening times are from 10am to 6pm on the Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday. Approximately nine gardens of different shapes and sizes will be taking part in and around the village as well as the 26 plots on the allotments so something for the vegetable growers as well as the flower enthusiasts.

The starting point will be the Memorial Hall and the programme will have a short description of each garden and approximate distance from the start point so the visitor can decide whether to walk or drive.

There will be ploughman’s lunches and puddings (12 noon to 2pm), tea and coffee, cream teas (2.30pm to 4pm) on both days in the hall where there will also be a chance to browse the plant, bric-a-brac and jewellery stalls (these will be open all-day.)

The Memorial Hall also has wheelchair access to the toilets. (Please note that not all the gardens will have wheelchair access to all parts).

Entry is £5 for adults and £1 for children aged over five years. The entrance fee allows entrance to all gardens and allotments.

Funds raised from the event will help to preserve St Mary’s Church which has medieval origins, rebuilt in the mid-15th century and refurbished in later years and still much used by all generations for the most happy and sad occasions but which needs money to keep going.

Like every other building the church has utility bills, insurance and general maintenance as well as often very expensive repairs associated with a very old listed building.

On Sunday, June 24, to end the weekend, a church service will be held at St Mary’s which will be lighthearted with a garden theme to which everyone is welcome.

Carol Furze