Our twice postponed exhibition finally opened on 2 June 2021.  A fitting date, as this marked the 77th anniversary of the Soham Rail Disaster. 

Originally due to be held on the 75th anniversary of VE Day in May 2020, the exhibition highlighted the history of men and women from Soham who served in the Second World War together with the story of the Soham Rail explosion which took place on 2 June 1944 then an ammunition train caught fire in Soham station, resulting in a terrific explosion. Had it not been for the heroism of the railway workers, there would have been considerable further loss of life.

With contributions from Soham Heritage & Tourism, Soham Library, Soham Lodge Care Centre, church flower arrangers, St Andrew’s Primary School, the Weatheralls Primary School and many individuals who donated historical materials for display, this was truly a fantastic community effort to celebrate and remember local heroes.

We were pleased to welcome Little Wombats Pre-School and classes from Weatheralls Primary School for an exclusive tour of the exhibition.

If you didn’t manage to visit the exhibition, you can follow the link to a photo album here WW2 Exhibition June 2021 - Google Photos

We had postponed our Spring Fair due to be held on 8 May due to bad weather. IT turns out this was absolutely the right decision.  The sun shone on 5 June and we couldn’t have asked for better weather.  

With over 30 stalls from local businesses, charities, church and community groups  there was something for everyone. Hundreds of people came to the event happy at the chance to get out and about and see old friends and neighbours again.  

Many took the opportunity to visit our WW2 exhibition in the church celebrating the lives of Soham men and women in the war.   

Follow the link for some photos of the day Spring Fair June 2021 - Google Photos

We were very pleased to host the Soham Gardening Club Annual Produce Show in St Andrew's Church this year. With a host of different categories there was plenty of opportunity to take part and win a prize! 

We hope to see the Gardening Club back again next year, so start planning your planting now !

The date of our Autumn Fair again coincided with the National Churches Trust 'Ride + Stride for churches' event.  Ride+Stride helps to raise funds for support grant applications for churches across the country.  As a recipient of a number NCT grants we where happy to lend our support to this very worthwhile project. 

With numerous stalls from local businesses, charities, church and community groups as well as catering provided by Gloof, this was a welcome opportunity to get out and about, and chat to old friends over a cuppa and cake. 

To mark Black History month we were privileged to host Collisions Theatre Company, led by Dr Holly Maples, University of Essex, in the church from 13th - 16th October.  

Their production - Breaking the Silence of the British Slave Trade - is a unique immersive theatrical performance of the untold stories of British Caribbean slaves and Black British Abolitionists using their own words.  Set in a fictionalized meeting, key members of the 18th and early 19th-century British Abolition movement debate how best to publicise the their aim of banning slavery. 

The actors brought history to life and celebrated historic figures such as Mary Prince, Dido Elizabeth Belle, Olaudah Equiano and others. Equiano, of course, married Susannah Cullen in St Andrew’s Church on 7 April 1792.  Through speeches, personal narratives, and song, the actors told the stories of these important and influential figures in their own words.

Over 600 pupils and staff from all four Soham schools attended performances throughout the week.  The stalwart performers gave their 7th performance of the production on Saturday for the wider community. 

We were also pleased to display an exhibition provided by Cambridgeshire Library Service on Olaudah Equiano and are grateful to Donna Martin for the donation of her publication ‘Olaudah’ Soham at the time of the Abolition for distribution to the public during this event.

The production was funded by the Arts Council England and Unity Trust in collaboration with Brunel University London and University of Essex Research

In tandem with the theatre performances, we were pleased to welcome Dr Inge Dornan on Friday 15th October to deliver her highly engaging and informative public talk 'The British Slave Trade in Past History and Present Memory".

Dr Inge Dornan is a historian and Senior Lecturer at Brunel University London and is a specialist in the history of slavery and the slave trade in North America and the Caribbean. In the talk, she explored the history of the British slave trade from the perspective of those whose lives were differently shaped and affected by slavery, including British slavers, abolitionists, and enslaved men, women, and children in the British Caribbean. She also reflected on how and why the history of Britain's involvement in slavery and the slave trade remains a source of ongoing controversy and debate in Britain today. 

Dr Dornan also who co-wrote the Breaking the Silence performance with theatre director and academic Dr Holly Maples.