A flower festival held at a newly-refurbished church raised thousands of pounds for a community hospice.

More than £10,000 raised at the event, which was intended to celebrate Stanborough Park Church’s 90th birthday - its foundation stone being laid in 1927 - will be shared equally between the Peace Hospice and the church's development fund.

A total of 36 spectacular floral arrangements depicted various aspects of church life.

Speaking after the event, festival organiser Audrey Balderstone said: "I was thrilled with the way in which everything came together and that was due to excellent teamwork, not just with the arrangers, but with all those who contributed, often behind the scenes, to the success of the festival.

“Particularly touching was how much the 'River of Roses' meant to those who were able to remember a loved one or give thanks by placing a rose in the river."

Perhaps Audrey's greatest challenge turned out to be keeping the flowers looking fresh over four days in the high temperatures, as she usually organises her festivals to occur when the weather is cooler.

Watford Observer:

Audrey, along with fellow arranger Geoff Fox, won a gold medal for a floral arrangement at the 2015 Chelsea Flower Show. 

She held her first flower festival at the church in 1981 with the help of fellow flower arranger Fred Rawlings.

Since then, Audrey has designed a festival roughly every two years, raising £125,000 for various charities in the process.

As in past years, the flower arrangers from the church were joined by arrangers from other churches and others from NAFAS (The National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies).

As in past years, there was a river of roses where people could purchase a rose in memory of a loved one, place it in the river, and collect it after the event.