First ever Ombersley Festival to celebrate village history - The Droitwich Standard

First ever Ombersley Festival to celebrate village history

Droitwich Editorial 9th Apr, 2015 Updated: 17th Oct, 2016   0

THE FIRST ever Ombersley Festival celebrating the ‘history of our times’ is coming to the village.

A programme of thought-provoking presentations and debates from prestigious leaders in politics, academia and journalism has been planned, promising to make the event next Saturday (April 18) one to remember.

The festival will be held at St Andrew’s Church between 9.30am and 5pm and will be jam-packed full of stimulating and entertaining political and social analysis and discussions. Professor Lord Hennessy from Queen Mary University will start the big day off with a bang by talking about ‘writing the history of one’s own times’.

Mona Siddiqui, the professor of Islamic and inter-religious studies at the University of Edinburgh, will then be taking to the stage to speak about ‘faith and the public space – a legal and political dilemma’.




Prof Tony Wright will also be making an appearance. He was the Cannock MP from 1997 to 2000, the chair of the House of Commons Select Committee on the public administration from 1999 to 2010 and is currently a professor of Government and policy at UCL.

He will speak about ‘influencing the history of one’s own times’.


Ben Wright, the BBC’s political correspondent, will also be sharing his perspective on reporting on Westminster.

As well as this, local historians Chris Gait will be talking about Ombersley since the church was built and Howard Robinson will be discussing Oliver Cromwell’s contribution to our modern democracy.

The Ombersley Festival will also feature films about Ombersley in the 1970s.

Emeritus professor Evelyn Ellis, who has organised the event, said: “Modern history is full of contradictions and dilemmas – we hope to delve deeper into some of these issues with the help our distinguished line-up.

“Obviously, we’re delighted these people have made time for us in their busy diaries.

“We now just need to ensure a good turn-out.”

Visitors are invited to bring their own cushion to soften the 185-year-old, Georgian pews and all the money raised from the event will go towards maintaining St Andrew’s Church.

Early bird tickets are £30 and this includes refreshments and a light lunch.

Visit www.purecharity.org/osca.2 for more.

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