TO mark the 500th anniversary of the rebuild of St Swithun’s Church at Sandford the Sandford 500 has put together a busy programme of events which will culminate on St Swithun’s Day in July.

Jean Hope said: “The strap line for the events has been ‘celebrating the past, looking to the future’.

“It was fitting that the first concert was by a youth band, the wonderful Queen Elizabeth’s School Jazz Band, who performed at St Swithun’s Church on the evening of Friday, May 19.

“The band, conducted by their teacher Lucy Welsman, treated a packed church to an enthusiastic and energy packed concert.

“As a thank you, they were presented with £100 towards their end-of-term tour in Italy.”