Colsterworth Festival of Remembrance marks fifth anniversary

The annual Colsterworth Festival of Remembrance is marking its fifth anniversary this year.

The festival was founded by Captain David Heath French of the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and Debi Heath French, ex Royal Signals, after they moved to the village nearly six years ago.

It has continued to grow each year with more people getting involved eager to volunteer their time and services.

It is now run by a whole team of dedicated volunteers and with an impressive website donated by WA Design.

David said: “We have about three or four meetings a year and it has continued to grow each year as more people get behind it. We had 220 people gathered around the war memorial two years ago from Colsterworth but also from the surrounding parishes and villages.”

A small team of volunteers worked tirelessly to create a 14ft poppy wall, similar to the Weeping Window display at the Tower of London.

Colsterworth’s version was made out of sprayed plastic bottle bottoms and installed outside the Methodist Church. Sally Ogborne, the artist and Steve Ogborne, the fabricator, created the finished article in their garage while Graham Kiely helped erect it.

Villager Caroline Hainsworth provided a much-needed supply of ready to go sprayed plastic bottoms and B&Q donated paint and wire to enable the making of the wall.

However David said it couldn’t have been achieved without the myriad of villagers and members collecting the bottles.

Caroline is also hosting the charity raffle alongside Jackie Taylor.

After the festival gained charitable status. residents fund-raise throughout the year with funds donated to the Royal British Legion as well as going back into the festival to purchase items and materials.

Each year residents are invited to meet at the village war memorial at 10.30am on Remembrance Sunday for an outdoor service before gathering at one of the two churches in the village and then on to the White Lion pub in the afternoon.

It’s not just individuals that are getting involved though. Businesses acoss the village have also lent their support including the White Lion pub and the Co-op with a raffle and knitted poppies.

For more information, visit www.cfor.org.uk