An iconic four-engine Avro Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight crosses Caversham Court Gardens at 1.00pm on Saturday, 9 July, for the annual Caversham Church Fete. PA474 is one of only two Lancaster aircraft remaining in airworthy condition out of the 7,377 that were built (the other is in Canada with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum at Hamilton, Ontario). She was built in 1945.
Caversham Church Fete, organised by the Parish of Caversham Thameside and Mapledurham, is a truly traditional fete, combining entertainment, refreshments, stalls and sideshows. The Fete is sponsored by AB Walker Funeral Directors and Walmsley Estate Agents.
Entertainment includes a selection of music from the remarkable young musicians of Berkshire Maestros Arnold Band and the O’Gara School of Irish Dancing/Maguire O’Shea Academy. Younger fete-goers will be engrossed by Fred in the Shed, children’s races and much more.
There are sideshows from the coconut shy, hoopla and hook-a-duck to the bouncy castle. Stalls offer the ever popular tombola and chocolate tombola, cakes, books, plants and bric-a-brac, to jams and preserves. New, this year, is the jewellery stall. The Grand Draw takes a step into the French Alps with the top prize of a week in a holiday chalet. Other top prizes include a splash pool party at Rivermead, tea for two in The House of Lords, theatre dinner for two, a family river trip to Mapledurham House and Mill and a host of other prizes.
When the excitement and activity gets too much, tea and cakes, coffee and ice cream are available all afternoon. There is a Pimms tent near the river and Stevie’s Kitchen will be serving hot food for the really hungry.
It all starts at 1.00pm as the ringing of St Peter’s bells concludes with the iconic sights and sounds of the Lancaster flypast.