THE village of Throwleigh is embarking on an ambitious and exciting plan for a festival, with funding of £4,775 having just been granted by Awards for All.

The idea was born when the parish church sent out a message to villagers asking what the church could be used for, to ensure its future. The idea of a Festival of Creativity, subsequently renamed the Throwleigh Festival, using the talents of everyone in the village, took life.

General co-ordinator Dawn Hatton said the festival would celebrate the talents of people in Throwleigh and Gidleigh and would run from April 24 to 26 next year.

'It will open with a reception in the church on the Friday evening and we are hoping to get an eminent church person to open it,' she said.

Everyone, from the most talented artists to those trying to make something for the first time, will have one piece of work exhibited in the church and there will be an exhibition in the village hall.

On the Saturday there will be a bell-ringing competition at the church. In Providence Chapel children will have a musical workshop run by the Wren Trust in the morning, with both singing and playing of instruments, and the result will be performed in a concert by the children in the afternoon, followed by a tea.

On Saturday evening local musicians will take part in a concert in the church. Morris dancing will start Sunday's programme, both by the village cross and at the hall, and there will be a poetry and prose reading with Renaissance music.

Three young musicians who play with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra will give a concert in the chapel at lunchtime, and the final event will be choral evensong in the church.

Dawn is a member of the Dartmoor Society, which is hoping to hold its debate next year in Exeter Cathedral, looking at the future of rural churches.

'It will be the 1100th anniversary of the diocese and we would like to present what we have done in the festival as an illustration of what can be done,' Dawn said.

'We get a lot of visitors to the village and if you look at the church visitors' book you can see how much people appreciate the church. It is important to preserve it,' she said.

Dawn said they wanted as many people as possible to be involved and were taking photos of people preparing for the festival in various ways.