Western Gazette, 21 April 2005

AFTERNOON OF FUN WILL AID REVAMP OF CHURCH

DETAILS are being finalised for the 2005 Bee Hop, which will raise money for the Holwell Church Restoration Fund.

Holwell bakery Honeybuns has organised the celebration of local food, live music, arts and crafts on Saturday 21 May at Naish Farm in Stony Lane.

Each year, Honeybuns nominates a charity for the event, and funds raised this time will be used to help continue and restoring St Laurence’s Church.

Work on the 15 th-Century church began four years ago but was halted for several months at Christmas after costs spiralled. But after a new estimate to complete restoration of the roof was accepted in February, the contractors confirmed it could be done without the scaffolding, which had cost more than £100 a day since it was put up in March 2003.

The news delighted worshippers at St Laurence. English Heritage originally gave £150,000 to the project, and Dorset Historic Churches Trust donated £50,000, thought to be it’s biggest ever grant to a single church.

This money paid for initial work, which needed scaffolding, but more money will be needed to complete the second phase of the project, which involves restoring the timber-and-tile roof to exacting standards.

Some oak timbers in the roof came from trees that were acorns before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Under conservation rules, these have to be preserved, even though they will not be visible.

The ticket-only event will incorporate a music festival, farmers’ market and community party.

Stalls will offer a variety of wares, from antiques to farmhouse cheeses, while jazz band The Ladybirds will be entertaining the crowds.

There will also be games organised by the Dorset Doddlers and the scouts, and’ a thatching demonstration.

All the stallholders and the bands have given their time to the Bee Hop free of charge and a percentage of all the takings from the stalls and the bar will be donated to the campaign.

Emma Goss-Custard of Honeybuns said: “The Honeybuns Bee Hop was a great success in 2004 and this year we have been delighted with all the support we have been given by our sponsors and friends.

“The Bee Hop is a way for us to say a big thank-you to our customers, friends and family, and gives everyone an opportunity to kick up their heels with live music, local food and West Country ale.”

The 2005 Bee Hop starts at 1pm and finishes at 5pm, and free tickets can be booked by calling the bakery on 01963 23597.