Recent events

Cheese and wine evening 2025

On 7 March, the Friends held a

Orford Bazaar 2024

Once again, the Friends laid on a refreshments stall at the annual St. Bartholomew’s Church winter Bazaar, with visitors  sampling a wide range of delicious home baking.

Hexachordia musical evening 2024

On Saturday 23 November 2024, a large crowd in the church enjoyed "Puddings and Pies,” a rich menu of music and song presented by early music specialists The Hexachordia Trio. The performance celebrated food and drink over the centuries, from medieval church ales to the lavish feasts and banquets of the Tudor royal court, and was washed down with drinks and canapes.

Open Gardens 2024

After downpours first thing on Sunday 26 May, the skies cleared in time for some 300 visitors to tour eleven beautiful private gardens around Orford that opened in support of our charity. Visitors were full of enthusiasm for the gardens, some opening for the first time, and could also enjoy refreshments in the church and attempt to win a £100 National Garden Gift voucher in the raffle.

Quiz evening and supper 2024

On 2 March 2024, a lively crowd from Orford and beyond competed in an evening of brain-teasing questions set on a variety of themes by quiz master Graeme Kay, the church's Director of Music. Held in the Town Hall, the teams also enjoyed a two-course supper, with a bar and raffle, all helping to raise funds for the Friends charity. Congratulations to the winning teams!

Orford Bazaar 2023

St. Bartholomew’s Church hosts a Bazaar in winter every year. At the bazaar on 2 December 2023, the Friends ran the refreshment stall offering a selection of drinks and home-made cakes.

Orford Open Gardens 2023

On Sunday 28 May, ten beautiful private gardens around Orford opened in support of our charity and welcomed hundreds of visitors from Orford and beyond.  Visitors also enjoyed refreshments in the church, selecting plants to take home at the plant stall, and trying their hand in the raffle to win a £100 National Garden Gift voucher.

Quiz night and supper 2023

The Quiz night in February 2023 was every bit as popular as in 2022! The sell-out event in the Town Hall saw 100 people in locally-named teams in hot competition over questions posed by The Rev. Giles Tulk, Guy Marshall and the church's Music Director Graeme Kay. There was also a delicious home-made supper, and a bar and raffle helped towards the total funds that the evening raised for the Friends of St. Bartholomew's charity.

Evening reception with music and church history 2022

At a reception in St. Bartholomew's hosted by the Friends in December 2022, a large group of guests enjoyed lovely music by a talented local chamber trio and the church choir, a fascinating talk on the history of the 15th century painting by Bernadino Luini, tours of the church, and seasonal drinks and canapes

Orford Open Gardens 2022

On a sunny Sunday at the end of June 2022, hundreds of people enjoyed visiting thirteen beautiful private gardens and Orford's guerrilla garden off Baker's Lane behind St. Bartholomew's Hall. There were refreshments in the church, including a wonderful array of home-made cakes.

Quiz night and supper 2022

At Orford Town Hall in February 2022, 80 people in ten teams vied for top prize at the Friends’ first quiz evening. Questions were posed by the church's Music Director Graeme Kay and The Rev. Giles Tulk, and the evening was rounded off with a hearty meal and a raffle.

Crocus planting 2021

On a chilly Sunday in November 2021, many people enjoyed buying and planting crocus bulbs in the churchyard, to create a display in Spring and raise funds for the charity at the same time.

Garden Party 2021

During the August 2021 bank holiday, the Great House and its gardens formed the lovely backdrop for an elegant open-air evening of music with a virtuoso acoustic guitarist and a paella supper for 100 guests.