 |
The Let’s Shine Together Festival took place in the Astwell Benefice between 30 May and 8 June. The Astwell Benefice is located within the Brackley Deanery and consists of a group of parishes with six churches: Helmdon, Radstone, Syresham, Whitfield, Lois Weedon and Wappenham.
The plan to put on an event was put forward in 2024 when an informal group came together to discuss ways in which they could increase inclusivity, celebrate the diversity of the surrounding communities and discover what those communities needed in the current climate. The idea of a Festival soon materialised with the objective that this would serve local people and crucially would give everyone in the Benefice the same opportunity to be part of the events. The committee took a leap of faith in deciding to offer all the Festival events free of charge. The Festival was designed to surprise and delight, to be inclusive, to create bonds of trust and friendship, to build strong and kind communities.
Through immense hard work and the involvement of well over 100 people, what came about in early summer of 2025 was quite exceptional. Over 10 days a programme of more than 30 events took place. From a Queen tribute concert to a cricket match hosting young Afghan refugees, a night at the opera to watercolour workshops, bell ringing to a family picnic, the varied programme of events meant there was something for everyone and built on the intentions of joy and connection. People gathered with such a positive sense of community, enjoying a time of togetherness, optimism and fun. Together they laughed and cried, listened and learned, sang and danced, ate and drank. They walked beautiful country paths, visited gorgeous flower-decorated churches, met talented artists and crafts people, engineers and hard-working farmers who care for the nature surrounding us. These extra-ordinary opportunities, experiences, connections and friendships were open to all.
To fund the Festival and ensure that all the events were free to attend, a Grand Draw was organised where businesses and individuals generously donated fantastic prizes, and those who wished could buy raffle tickets for the draw. The Grand Draw and Festival donations raised over £11,000 for the Let’s shine Together Community Fund. This fund will help to support, through discretionary grants, community activities focused on building strong and kind communities – none of the money will go to the Astwell churches.
Reverend Hugh White: “Let’s Shine Together is a spark for change in our communities and it’s a challenge, too: to us in Astwell to trust in God’s provision for the future of the event - and just generally to trust God; to other churches to think whether they might to have a go at an event of this kind; to the Diocese to believe in rural Benefices and their potential.”
 |
For more information and to discover plans for 2026, visit the Lets Shine Together website.