A RESTORATION project to transform war graves in Rowley Regis has been given a funding boost after a popular pirate scarecrow event raised hundreds of pounds towards the cause.

St Giles Church hosted a brand new straw-stuffed adventure on Bank Holiday Monday, raising an impressive £725 – including a generous donation from the Halesowen and Rowley Rotary Club.

The Hawes Lane church put on a Treasure Island themed family fun afternoon to help fund the church graveyard and gardens restoration project, while prizes were also handed out for the best scarecrow.

Joyce Walker from the church said: “A fun day was had by all and, for a second year, Enid Hadley won first prize. We also had local schoolgirl Ruby win the children’s entry – both winning £25.”

The funds raised from the event will go towards the ‘Living Churchyard’ project which aims to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the wildlife and historical issues in Rowley.

Joyce added: “The Rotary donation will enable us to buy period costumes to allow St Giles to commemorate 100 years of the First World War with local schools – re-enacting Rowley villagers’ lives.

“St Giles’ research team, headed by Linda Russell, are busy researching some of the families buried in the churchyard from those years, so the children can learn what occupations were here in Rowley at that time and the sacrifice it made in the war.”