A SPECIAL “thank you” has been extended to the organisers, flower arrangers, café staff, sponsors and numerous volunteers who have made the Crediton Parish Church Flower Festival a success this year - and for the previous 47 years.

“Colours of the Wind”, from June 1-6, was the last festival by the current team and the church is looking for anybody with exciting ideas for next year’s Festival.

Anyone is welcome to help with the Festival and to this end there will be a meeting on Thursday, June 27 at 2.30pm in the Boniface Centre for anyone with ideas or interest in organising or helping with next year’s Festival.

If you can’t attend the meeting, but would like to contribute, please contact Stella on 01363 775170 or 07960 388198 or email: [email protected] .

The Crediton Parish Church Flower Festival is one of the main fundraising events held to raise money for the cost of repairs and maintenance of the fabric of the church building.

Crediton Parish Church is YOUR church, a Grade 1 listed building, considered by many to be one of the finest in the country, the church recently having been designated a Major Parish Church – one of only 350 from 16,000 parish churches in the country.

In 1547 the townspeople of Crediton bought the church from Henry VIII for £200.

Under a charter granted by his son Edward VI, 12 governors were appointed to act as trustees on behalf of the townspeople and inhabitants of the parish.

Along with the church, the Governors were given endowments and land to provide income for the maintenance of the building and churchyard, though this is nowhere near enough to cover what is needed today.

The governors are the successors of the original 12 and meet five times a year. Proceeds from both the annual Christmas Tree Festival and Flower Festival provide much-needed funds towards the repair and maintenance of the Church.

The Church is heavily dependent on donations, legacies and grant funding to deal with safety issues, keeping water out of the building, structures and for bigger fabric projects.

Currently the roof is in urgent need of repair. Phase one needs approximately £600,000 to begin work and currently around £112,000 has been raised for the roof appeal.

If you would like a flavour of previous festivals, then visit the Festival “Facebook” page: https://www.facebook.com/creditonparishchurchfestivals .