OPEN GARDENS -There will be an opportunity to venture beyond the imposing gates, which date from the 1720s, into the gardens of the Great House in Dilwyn on Sunday between 2-5pm when Mr and Mrs Tom Hawksley open the grounds to support the National Gardens Scheme Charities. A variety of interesting plants will also be on sale. Proceeds from the sale of refreshments will benefit St. Michael's Hospice.

CHURCH FETE - Stalls piled high with books, bric a brac, cakes, plants or magnificent raffle prizes greeted visitors to the St Mary's church fete last Saturday. Delicious strawberry cream teas were served to music played by the Weobley High School Brass Ensemble under the guidance of tutor Tony Pooley. Traditional games were played on the lawns. The three judges of the children's art exhibition, artists Sheila Rees and Jeanette Spackman and Rev. Becky Ayres-Harris were inundated with entries of a picture from the Old Testament. The under 7's winner was Yazmin Madeley with Laura Brown winning the 7-11 age group. Rev. Becky said that all entries were brilliant, full of life and depicted a great variety of stories. The Rev. Gareth Jones thanked everyone for their support with special thanks to Mr and Mrs John Spackman, for the use of their home Perrymead. Rev Gareth said that the children's absolutely splendid artwork will be put on display inside the church. The well attended event raised £1,914 for church funds.

FRIENDS RE-UNITED - One of the joys of village fetes is that you never know who is going to arrive. Eighty six year old Dorothy Lukas (nee Gough) and her son Michael, now from Ross on Wye, called in to support the church fete after reading about the forthcoming event in this column.

Armed with photographs taken at Perrymead and in the village some 70 years ago, Dorothy recalled when she was a teenager in the village and the two Misses Evill who lived in the house then with their father, a retired clergyman. Dorothy's mother Mary was their cook and housekeeper whilst her father Harry Gough, the local postman, looked after the grounds. They lived at Glen View in Watery lane. Dorothy met Franz Lukas, a prisoner of war in Hereford, and in 1949 was married in St. Mary's by Rev. Pugh and then left the area. Her son Michael was christened at St. Mary's. It didn't take long for word of Dorothy's arrival to get around with many villagers fondly remembering her and her family.