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38 Phonebox Magazine | June 2025Olney church celebrates 700 yearsThe Church of St Peter & St Paul is celebrating its 700th Anniversary this year, with the highlight being a week of events in June and July.The Church of St Peter & St Paul is celebrating its 700th Anniversary this year, with the highlight being a week of events in June and July. It all begins on Saturday 28th June with a full peal of bells %u2013 starting at 2pm, this will involve a peal of 5,700 changes of Stedman Caters, which will take around 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete.In the evening we will be re-creating the old tradition of a %u2018church ale%u2019 with a hog roast and a special commemorative ale. There will be a chance to buy bottles of our 700th ale as well as souvenir glasses. A limited number of tickets will be on sale at %u00a315 from the church and the Olney Town Council offi ce.On Sunday 29th June at 10am we will have our special service marking the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Then from 12pm to 4pm our annual Cherry Fair will take place on the Glebe Field in front of the church and promises a fun afternoon for all the family, with lots of events, activities, food and stalls.Over the following week we will be hosting a Flower Festival on the theme of 700 years with fl ower arrangements all around the church. The church will be open every day from 29th June to 6th July so that you can view the fl owers, and there will also be artwork on display from the local schools.%u00a0While you are at the church, visit our 700th Anniversary Art Trail %u2013 locally-born artist Wayne Warren is curating a sequence of installations which will be set up both inside and outside the church building and which invite us to refl ect on the history of the church.%u00a0The Art Trail opens at the end of May and runs through the Summer. Saturday 5th July is our %u2018History Day%u2019. At 10.30am, Olney Archaeological Society is presenting a talk by Professor Stephen Upex, a Landscape Archaeologist from the University of Cambridge. He will be speaking about the church and the historical and archaeological landscapes of Olney.%u00a0In the afternoon we will have presentations and talks about the history of the church, based around the research done by Liz Knight, who was a keen local historian and a member of the church.In the evening we will have a feature concert by the Sheppard Singers, who will be performing music spanning the last 700 years. The week of celebrations will be rounded off by a Civic Service on Sunday 6th July at 10am, with special guests including the Bishop of Buckingham, who will be speaking at the service. Everyone is welcome.There are plenty of other things happening as well, including a %u2018700 Acts of Kindness%u2019 initiative where people can record acts of kindness in the community, and the release of up to 700 knitted mice in the church for people to fi nd and take home.%u00a0Details of all the activities can be found here: olneyparish.org/700years.700th Anniversary events at St Peter & St PaulSaturday 28th June from 2pm %u2013 Full peal of bells to launch the 700th Anniversary celebrations at St Peter and St PaulSaturday 28th June from 7pm %u2013 Church Ale with hog roast. Limited numbers %u2013 tickets at %u00a315 are available from the church and the Olney Town Council offi ce Sunday 29th June at 10am - Festival service for St Peter and St Paul%u2019s DaySunday 29th June from 12pm to 4pm%u2013 Olney Cherry FairSunday 29th June at 12pm %u2013 Start of the 700th Anniversary Flower Festival in the churchSaturday 5th July from 10am %u2013 History Day in the church, with a talk by Professor Stephen Upex in the morning and presentations in the afternoonSaturday 5th July at 7.30pm %u2013 70th Anniversary Concert featuring the Sheppard Singers. Tickets: %u00a310 are available from the church and the Olney Town Council offi ce Sunday 6th July at 10am %u2013 Civic Service to close the week of celebrations for the 700th AnniversaryOlney Cherry Fair Organisers are busy preparing a wonderful Cherry Fair for you this year. The bouncy castle is already booked, and there are some fabulous stalls lined up this year, off ering everything from local ice cream to 700 Year Anniversary Luxury Candles.You will be able to rest your weary feet while you listen to Olney Brass Band, have a cup of tea and a cake, or tuck into a delicious BBQ with a refreshing glass of Pimm%u2019s and, of course, English cherries.%u201cWe are looking forward to the Ballet School Country Dancing in the arena, and singing from the School Choirs,%u201d says organiser Susan Heron. %u201cLots of fun activities and games are planned, including the popular coconut shy, hook a duck and a lucky dip.%u201cWe do have a great opportunity for the children to join in our free fancy dress parade at 2.20pm. There will be prizes. Don%u2019t forget to bring your canine friend to take part in our dog show with classes for cutest puppy, golden oldie, most gorgeous girl, most handsome boy and best rescue. Just come along and register as you enter the arena. %u201cIf you are feeling adventurous, you can even climb the bell tower, and fi nish the day by joining in our traditional tug of war,%u201d added Susan.This year the Cherry Fair forms part of St Peter and St Paul, Olney%u2019s 700th anniversary celebrations and you%u2019ll be able to visit the fl ower festival in the church and the art trail. Olney Cherry Fair is on Sunday 29th June, 12pm- 4pm, Church Street, OlneyOffi cial opening by the Mayor at 12.15pm. Admission: %u00a32 (U16 free).More details: cherryfair@olneyparish.org.