THE theme for the Flower Festival in the church was Water for Life, which resulted in some truly magical interpretations by all the flower arrangers.

They were shaped by images from the Bible or our everyday lives and arranged in alphabetical order. From A for Aid, to provide clean water worldwide, to Z for Zebedee, who after all was the father of James and John who left their fisherman father to become, as we all know – Fishers of Men.

One or two memorable highlights for me just have to be those perfect “raindrops” on a flower stem or the “procession” of assorted sizes of welly boots walking through the puddles.

Hopefully there will have been a good financial reward from the Flower Festival to share between the upkeep of the Parish church and, of course, the main beneficiary Christian Aid Water Project.

THE Martinstown Women’s Institute member will be meeting in the village hall at 6.30pm on Wednesday, July 14, when the speaker will be Chris Shaw on her travels to ‘Sugar Island’, namely Cuba.

Visitors most welcome at 7pm to hear the speaker.

A FOOD and Beer Festival will take place at Stevens Farm from July 9 – 11. Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday 10am-midnight, Sunday noon-4pm.

There will be live entertainment.

Caravan and camping facilities are available.

For information and tickets call 01305 889216.

A DATE for your diary, Saturday, August 14, when there will be a fete at Steepleton Manor.

In aid of the three parish ‘valley’ churches.