Harvest Festival was held in St Lawrence Church, Chicheley on Sunday 24th September. This is of significance because our tiny village is surrounded by fields of wheat, barley and other crops. We enjoyed a well-attended service with favourite seasonal hymns.

Historically, the focus was on the impact of weather and the times of planting and harvesting. Whilst still of critical importance, our farmers must deal with many other challenges. They face bewildering bureaucracy and form filling. New farming methods, soil analysis, and leaving wild margins on farms all help to protect the environment and wildlife.

Large farms are now being managed by one or two people using sophisticated equipment controlled by GPS and other technology. This in turn attracts the attention of criminals.  Rural crime has become a serious problem, and also includes illegal hare coursing and fly tipping with which our farmers have to deal.

In this era of geopolitical tensions, exemplified by disruption of grain supplies from Ukraine, we rely increasingly on our domestic farmers to provide our food. They thoroughly deserve our gratitude expressed at the Harvest Festival for their hard work throughout the year, at all hours of the day and night. We must not forget the critical role they play in our nation and in our community.

Whilst not forgetting our farmers, the emphasis in Harvest Festivals has shifted to highlight the needs of those with inadequate food, nationally and internationally.

Our congregation and community give generously to charities. We collect for our local Food Bank throughout the year, but make a special effort at Harvest Festival when cans and boxes have replaced fresh produce for decorating the church.

After our Harvest Festival we delivered a car full of food to the Milton Keynes Food Bank. The photo shows just one of the trolley loads.