A church is set to launch a programme of events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding.

A flower festival, history exhibition and celebration service will take place at Wanstead United Reformed Church, in Nightingale Lane.

The first Reverend, Benjamin Beddow, was appointed for the new church on May 29, 1865, which for the first two years met in the Court Room of the Weavers’ Alms-houses, in New Wanstead.

St Luke’s Church in Euston was built in 1861 but the site was soon sold to build the new St Pancras railway station. 

Midland Railway bought the building for £526 and transported it piece by piece to Wanstead at an additional cost of £5,210, with the new church opening in 1867.

A programme of events will start this Saturday (May 23) including a flower festival with 18 arrangements by local organisations.

The flower festival will take place from Saturday until Tuesday 10am to 4pm, with Sunday’s times 12.30pm to 3.30pm.

An exhibition entitled ‘The Founding of a Church: The First Fifty Years’ will explore the story of 30 lives of Wanstead residents in that era.

People can view it from Saturday 10am to 4pm for one week with Sunday’s times 12.30pm to 3.30pm.

A celebration service will then take place at 10.30am on Sunday May 31.

It is free admission to all events with a café serving light refreshments.