Fly the flag

Rex Barnett, 66, believes our neighbouring countries go all out to celebrate their patron saints, and England should follow suit.

He said: "We have St Patrick's Day and St Andrew's Day but April 24 is St George's Day. The Church of England should fly the flag and so should all the public buildings."

He believes the flag is a symbol of the country's proud past and wants to see it flown across the town.

He said: "I believe Richard the Lionheart brought it to England in the 12th century. To avoid confusion for the crusaders, wearing the red cross meant they were all on the same side.

"Winston Churchill wrote 'There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word, which means more to me than any other. That word is England.'

Mr Barnett, a former sales manager, is married with two daughters and four grandchildren.

He says attitudes to St George's Day have changed.

He said: "I can remember passing the church and the bell would be ringing and the flag flying.

"We should celebrate St George's Day, keep it alive and put some patriotism back into public life."

Canon Michael Johnson, dean of Swindon, and vicar of Wroughton, said: "We have a St George's flag and we raise it on festivals, including St George's Day.

"It's good to celebrate our patron saint.

"Part of the difficulty is that not a lot is known about St George, apart from the dragon legend."

The Penguin Dictionary of Saints states that no historical particulars of his life are known.

A spokeswoman for Swindon Council said the cross will be flown from the Civic Buildings, and on the following day the mayor has an engagement at the Swindon Ridgeway Scouts Association's annual St George's Day parade.

In Wootton Bassett there are no official events organised.

Town councillor Audrey Wannell said: "I think somebody should organise something, as St George is the patron saint of England, but it's better to do it as a group of friends, rather than something official."

At Ogbourne St George the day will be celebrated by adults and children alike.

Rev Roger Powell is the new priest in charge of Ridgeway Benefice, which also includes Chiseldon and Ogbourne St Andrew.

He said: "It's important because he is our patron saint so we celebrate the birthday.

"I have no problem with people being patriotic, but it depends how they use it. I don't think it would be appropriate to use it to get people into factions."

In Ogbourne St George there will be a children's workshop on St George's Day between 10am and 12 pm, and on the following day there will be a Patronal Festival at 3pm.

Rev Powell said: "The children will be making a dragon and doing other activities in the workshop, and presenting it in the church on Sunday."

Rev Mark Roper, of Toothill Methodist Church, said: "It's something I remember from my childhood. I went to a Church of England school in Kent and every year we would all go to St George's Church where we would celebrate the day.

"We don't celebrate St George's as much as the Scots and Irish celebrate St Andrew and St Patrick, and I think that's a cultural thing."

Dave Andrew