Memorial Orchard

Events to mark the centenary of World War One are on going with both national and local, public and private commemorations. The congregation at Walmer Baptist Church are remembering those service personnel from their own church, who died in the Great War, in two very special ways.

On the closest Sunday to the anniversary of the death of each of the nine men named on the church’s War Memorial, they include special prayers and the children of the Sunday Club light a peace candle.

Additionally, in partnership with Kent Heritage Trees Project, the church has planted nine fruit trees in its grounds to provide a growing memorial.

The idea for planting trees has been championed by Vice Chair of Walmer Parish Council, Cllr Derek Murphy, who represents the Council at Walmer Partnership Meetings. – a forum which brings together church leaders and representatives of community based institutions and officials. Cllr Murphy’s aim is to see a tree planted in Walmer for each of the fallen of the1914 – 18 conflict from the Parish.

The Walmer church’s Memorial Orchard has been the first tree planting and members of the Grounds Team, Kathleen Evans, Kate Birrell and Peter Bradford, have been actively engaged in the planning and selection of trees and their proposal was unanimously adopted by a Church Members Meeting held at the end of 2014.

A similar scheme is currently under discussion for the grounds of Deal Parochial School in Gladstone Road, Walmer.

Civic leaders, representatives of the Royal British Legion, volunteers from Kent Heritage Trees Project and members of the congregation joined the Minister, Revd Seyan Tills, for a Tree Planting Ceremony including a short act of dedication on Saturday 7 March at 2pm.

The he first fruits harvested where sampled by church members at Church a Meeting on 16 September 2015 and judged to be delicious!