Prestbury celebrated its 160th Anniversary during a weekend of baking heat. On Saturday we held the ‘Beautiful Prestbury’ event which celebrated the whole community. We showed off some of our old photos and documents as well as the foundation stone trowel. The tapestry seat cushions and their designs which were made for our 125th Anniversary in 1991 were also on show.
We also had stalls and exhibits from the WI, Prestbury People Planet, Guiding, Scouting (who showed the plans for the new scout hut), Little Explorers Play-Group, St Mary’s Church, Prestbury Local History Society and the Parish Council.
The visitors were greeted with a glorious flower arrangement by Trish Cousins (Sandra Attwood’s sister) and the vestibule windows had flowers and the ‘peggies’ from the Wi which depict all the WI activities. Inside the church, the windows were decorated by the inventive St Mary’s flower arrangers on the theme of ‘All things bright and beautiful’ and . Noel Yau did a lovely Japanese arrangement. Whilst visitors enjoyed a cream tea they could view the artwork from the Infant and Junior Schools.
On the Sunday, our service was led by our Ministers, Rev Iain McLaren and Rev Julie Jefferies (assisted by Jill Woolford and Sandra Attwood) and we were delighted to have the Moderator of General Assembly , Catriona Wheeler, as out guest preacher. Fiona Hall gave a short history of the church, and Joe Chan and Noel read his intercessory prayer which was published in last week’s bulletin. We were pleased to have Ian Griffin from Broadway as our organist. In addition to our usual congregation there were community representatives and some old friends as well as contingents from St Andrew’s, Broadway, our founding church, Highbury Congregational and the Parish Church, St Mary’s. It was lovely to welcome Joan Winterbottom back as well as Margaret and David Marshall, and Jason Boyd from Highbury.
After the service, the congregation enjoyed a light lunch and some of the celebration cakes.
Thanks for such an enjoyable weekend must go to the 160 Committee who organised the events, to all those who set up (and took down) the church on Saturday and Sunday and to all those who worked tirelessly on the catering side.
By Fiona Hall
(Photos by Joe Chan, Fiona Hall, Sandra Attwood and Julie Jefferies)