Past Events

By permission of the Ministry of Defence, the roads into the village of Imber on Salisbury Plain will be open on...

Saturday 30 August 2003

...as Wiltshire's forgotten village opens for Rememberance and Celebration.

IMBER
This year marks 60 years since the evacuation of civilians from the village of Imber on the Salisbury Plain. Every year at a day near St. Giles day, the village opens for rememberance and celebration. The 13th Century church in Imber (St. Giles) is open for annual services at 12 noon and 3pm. This year, Imber Day will take place on Saturday 30 August. The primary purpose of this day is for the remaining original inhabitants of Imber and their descendants to pay their annual visit to St. Giles Church and the Baptist Chapel burial ground, to remember their departed family and meet as a community again. The public is welcome to visit Imber on this day.

The schedule of events will be:

12.00 - Holy Communion at St. Giles Church

Artangel's Panel Discussion at St Giles Church
Hands around the St. Giles Church (join in an old Wiltshire custom)
Re-enactment of the 1961 Public Inquiry on Imber
Songs of Peace and Justice with Ruth Underwood and percussionist Phillip Harper
Exhibition of archive photographs

IMPORTANT
Please follow all Ministry of Defence warning signs and keep strictly to the roads and village. This is a community gathering, not a political rally. No banners, leafleting, political speeches or chanting, thank you.

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By permission of the Ministry of Defence... the roads into the village of Imber on Salisbury Plain will be open on

SATURDAY 28 AUGUST 2004

Peace is Possible

Community Arts for Peace and Reconciliation at St Giles Church, Imber ,
organised by Forever Imber and Devizes Peace Group

Inviting the local community, churches and other faiths to meditate on how we can create a prevailing culture of peace rather than violence and explore Imber 's potential to play a future part in it. Reflecting on the hopeful transition of Grade 1 listed St Giles Church to the Churches' Conservation Trust and its transformation into a centre for community education and development, creativity, peace and reconciliation, healing and environmental awareness.

"communicate with each other" 
"build and maintain trust"
"be open and transparent"
"increase understanding and our ability to work together"
"create a partnership for peace"
- phrases from What do you know about Defence Diplomacy? (MoD, 2001) and Defence Diplomacy (MoD, 1999)

* All sessions designed to include children, adults and those with special needs
* Visual art - come and draw the church and its surroundings (materials provided) in memory of Imber descendant, local artist and teacher, the late John Rickman, who painted St Giles Church
* Open air exhibition of Imber photographs
* Guided tours with Rex Sawyer, author of Little Imber on the Down at 1.30 and 3.30pm
* Bring a picnic and seeds to scatter

Interfaith Meditations/Creating a Culture of Peace - presentations and creative participation around citizenship, peace education, conflict resolution, community building, race equality, intercultural understanding, human rights and justice - how do they relate to Imber historically and how can these links be explored here in future?

Ecology - "Speak to the earth and it shall teach thee" (Job 12, 8) - respond creatively to nature through art, hear more about Salisbury Plain's amazing wildlife haven and make a corn dolly.

Music - join us to sing three songs: Imber Range (Richard Steer), Song of the Open Downs (Ruth Underwood) and Shadows (Mick Ryan) from " Tanks for the Memory ", Mick Ryan's musical about Tyneham in Dorset

Hands Around St Giles Church - take part in an old Wiltshire custom

Bellringing - play the 17th century bellringing changes written on St Giles Church tower wall

Creating a Centre for the Community at St Giles Church - how do we transform pain and loss from the past and continue to build a sense of community at Imber for the future? Could it be restored like Tyneham - not as "a village frozen in time" but a living, breathing educational centre when the MoD are absent? Come and share your feelings. Inviting contributions from MoD, Salisbury Diocese, Churches' Conversation Trust and others.

IMPORTANT: Please follow all Ministry of Defence warning signs and keep strictly to the roads and village. This is a community gathering, not a political rally. No banners, leafleting, political speeches or chanting, thank you.

Imber roads open Saturday 7 August - Monday 30 August 2004 .

SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER: St Giles Church annual services - Holy Communion at 12.00pm and Evensong at 3.00pm

Next Peace Vigil by the Peace Tree on 31 December 2004 at 12.00pm.

"It is possible to live in peace"
Mahatma Gandhi

"Some day you'll return to your valleys and your farms and you'll no longer burn to be brothers in arms"
Mark Knopfler

"Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association"
UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights