Children celebrate town's foundress with pressed flowers

The event went ahead after the rest of the planned Withburga Weekend was deferred until September, owing to continued coronavirus restrictions.

Organiser Evelyn Speed explained: “When the school children of Dereham accepted the invitation to participate in St. Nicholas' Withburga Well-dressing competition, nobody anticipated the high standard and creativity of the children.

Children who received the winner's awards, with The Revd. Canon Paul Cubitt and Evelyn Speed who organised the event (Image: Evelyn Speed)

“Three entries from the Year groups of Dereham Church Infants and Nursery, and 15 entries from the classes of Dereham Church of England Junior Academy were displayed around the church, amidst beautiful floral arrangements, depicting the story of Withburga, the foundress of Dereham.”

She added: “Canon Rev Paul Cubitt and his wife Clare had the unenviable task of judging the entries.

“The winner of Dereham Church Infants was Year One and the winner of the Junior Academy was Malorie Class, Year Four.

The children who created the winning well-dressing picture. (Image: Evelyn Speed)

“Each winner received a trophy, a certificate and a £25 Green Pastures voucher.

“Those who visited the church to view the entries, were amazed at the creativity and skill of the children, who had painstakingly pressed the fresh flowers, petals and other natural materials into clay bases, to make truly beautiful pictures.”