Flower festival in north Northumberland village to commemorate its VE Day and VJ Day links

The first day of this event is Sunday, June 22 and on the same day, Norham Open Gardens will take place.

The week-long Norham Flower Festival is being staged to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VE and VJ Day this year.

St Cuthbert’s Church will be filled with more than 40 arrangements created to reflect the theme – including Dig for Victory, The Sound of Peace, Support the Home Front and a little bunker/shelter outside the church entrance, all created by a team of volunteers including professional florists, flower arrangers, community groups and individuals.

Openings are Sundays 11am to 5pm and Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. Entry by cash or card donation.

A number of young men from Norham joined the Territorial Army and became part of Z Company, 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, and after some action in France eventually embarked for Asia in early February 1942.

As their ships approached Singapore, they came under Japanese air attack and suffered their first casualties. The men then spent nine days defending Singapore against the Japanese.

When the surrender finally came, they became prisoners of war – for more than three years suffering harsh treatment and deprivation at the hands of their Japanese and Korean guards.

George Straughen (1918-2003) was a Japanese Prisoner of War and survived. His family have kindly loaned his demob coat, kit bag and other memorabilia and photos to display alongside the flower arrangements planned for the forthcoming festival.

Norham Open Gardens, plus crafts on the village green and teas in the village hall, will take place from 1pm to 5pm.

There are about eight gardens to view, large and small, including those with ponds, pergolas, summer houses, bee hives and a huge variety of plants, trees and shrubs.

Stalls on the green will include Half a Hedgerow (decorative art for the garden), Biteabout Arts (hand woven willow artefacts) Eric Pearson (potter), Straight Lace (vintage homewares) Ronnie Hek (wildlife photography) and Graeme Wilson of GW Ecology.

Tickets and trail maps, and more information on things such as prices and dogs, are available at the village hall.