A harvest festival with a difference is being created by Marlborough’s parish church of St Mary’s, one that will celebrate the golden haul of medals won in the triumphant Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The church will become a showcase of local sporting achievement with more 10 local clubs creating an exhibition that takes in football, rugby, cricket, hockey, tennis, golf, athletics, bowls, angling, fencing and may by cycling too.
“Two years ago we had a harvest festival in St Mary’s celebrating local manufacturing,” Marlborough’s rector, Canon Andrew Studdart-Kennedy, told Marlborough News Online.
“There was a terrific exhibition with a sample of what was made locally – the visual highlight of which was a microlight aircraft in the building.”
“This Olympic Year we are having a harvest celebration of local sport – each of the local clubs providing a display about their sport and details of how to contact them.”
The sort of thing that I had in mind will include rackets, bats, balls, clubs, sticks, pads and also any ‘team strips’ they might have. When seen all together, it should help make a fun display and a striking visual impact .
“And it will help everyone see how much sport goes on in the local community and also the huge amount of time that volunteers give in helping to run it.”
The aim is to open the doors of St Mary’s throughout Saturday October 6, manned by volunteers from St Mary’s, with the Harvest Festival service following at 10am on Sunday October 7.
The service will be attended by Marlborough’s Mayor, Councillor Edwina Fogg, and members of the town council, and everyone is welcome to join in, the more so if they are volunteers in the local sporting world or high achievers on the track or with bat, ball racquet, foil or golf club.
