THE Aveton Gifford Parish Project Group is hosting a fundraising event on Friday, May 6, featuring local author Tony Porter talking about his new book ‘Whatever Next?’

The evening will be the ideal opportunity to meet Tony and to hear about his fascinating life, including the restoration of Burgh Island Hotel.

The parish project group was formed 25 years ago in 1991, following the opening of the Aveton Gifford bypass.

The opening of the bypass was celebrated with a street party and a great display of community spirit. The group was formed ‘to collect and record information about the parish, and to foster an interest in it, through publications and activities of various kinds.’

The first publication was a parish map, drawn by a parishioner Mike Glanville. The map now hangs in the village hall, and many half-size maps sold for £3, with £1 being donated to the church.

Since then, the achievements of the group have included producing two village trail leaflets and a comprehensive footpath guide ‘Making Tracks’.

In 2002, the book ‘Aveton Gifford: A Heritage’ was published, edited by founder-member Ken Doughty. This book records all aspects of the history of the parish.

For many years, a copy of the book together with a parish map was given to all children when they left the village’s primary school.

Other books published by the group include ‘The Bombing of Aveton Gifford’ - about the bombing of the church and village in 1943.

The most recent publication in 2013 was the farming memoir ‘A Countryman’s Glimpse of the Twentieth Century’ by David Balkwill.

Over the years, the group has collected a constantly expanding archive of photographs, forming the basis of several exhibitions and meetings.

Other significant achievements include the transcription of the 1840 parish tithe map and granting access to church burial records.

The group has marked notable events such as the Queen’s Jubilee and the outbreak of First World War with major exhibitions.

The group also stages a themed exhibition at the church fête each year. Last year the theme was ‘stonemasons’ and this year, the subject will be the River Avon, including its history, flora and fauna.

In 2012, the group launched a dedicated website that has resulted in widespread interest from people with connections to the parish. It has also increased knowledge of local families - with photographs and anecdotes being added to the site. The collecting and recording of memories from older members in the parish is an ongoing project.

All funds raised by the group are used for community causes, with donations being given to the church, the community shop, the pre-school, other community projects and the provision of shrubs on the rectory lawn.

The talk will be held in Aveton Gifford village hall, on Friday, May 6 at 7pm.

Wine, tea, coffee and light refreshments will be available.