Climping's big jubilee event is about to begin

Villagers have excelled themselves this year with three days of activities from tomorrow (June 8) to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.

Organising committee member Carol Cashfield said: “Everything is going really well. All the residents are busy primping their gardens and making the most of what was a wet spring but is, hopefully, going to be a hot June.

“This is certainly the biggest festival we’ve staged in terms of all the extra events and it’s the first time it’s taken place over three days.

“We have 24 gardens open at the last count and the jazz concert on Saturday evening is heading for a sell-out.”

The festival starts tomorrow with the opening of a flower festival in the village’s St Mary’s Church for all three days. Tomorrow evening will see Stephanie Donaldson, the gardening editor of Country Living magazine, host a gardeners’ question time in the church at 7pm.

Visitors will be able to admire the gardens of all sizes and descriptions on show on Saturday and Sunday. A hop on/hop off bus will take them around the various locations.

A garden masterclass will take place in the gazebo on Saturday afternoon followed by the jazz concert in St Mary’s with four professionals musicians who have worked with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett.

Proceeds from the weekend will go to the church’s fabric fund with a donation to St Mary’s Primary School in the village.

Any remaining tickets for the masterclass and jazz concert cost £10 each from 01903 715882.

A Diamond Jubilee garden party is being held at St Wilfrid’s Church in Bognor Regis from 2pm-4pm on Saturday with a jubilee street party tea, children’s fancy dress in red, white and blue and various stalls.

n See pages 6-15 for Jubilee coverage.