Edithmead Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary this weekend by holding its annual flower festival.
The tiny tin church on the outskirts of Burnham at Edithmead is a well-known landmark and visitors will be open today (Saturday) and Sunday from 11am-5pm.
One of the organisers, Maureen Phillips, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “This year is a special celebration as it is 100 years since the little church was brought to Edithmead from its beginnings as an Adult School in East Brent.”
She explained that there is extra good news after the team received a grant funding boost from environmental group Viridor.
She added: “We have been able to secure a Viridor Grant this year to replace the windows at the church.”
“Viridor Credits gave us £5,300 for the wooden windows to be replaced. The windows were really at the end of their life and water was getting into the walls which are also wooden.”
“We had to meet the requirements for the Grant and luckily for us they thought it was a worthwhile project. A local builder, Pat Hancock, has built the windows and installed them for us.”
“We have always tried to be self supporting at the church and have managed to fund the painting, interior and exterior, over the years. We have recently found some old accounts books dating from 1941 and I can see the congregation has always managed to pay for the on going repairs and maintenance.”
Burnham-On-Sea’s St Andrew’s Church is the ‘mother’ church and Rev Graham Witts is always supportive and involved in the Edithmead Church’s activities.
Rev Witts added: “The Flower festival marks a major milestone in the life of the tin chapel at Edithmead which celebrates its centenary this year. There has been a faithful congregation that has met, worshipped and cared for the building during that time.”
“The present congregation is equally caring for the tin chapel or Tabernacle as it is affectionately known. This weekend will be a great occasion of giving thanks for the past and for facing the future.”
