Sunday services at St Boniface Garrison church

11th May – 10:30 Holy Communion 4th Sunday of Easter St Boniface

18th May – 10:30 Holy Communion 5th Sunday of Easter St Boniface

26th May – 10:30 Holy Communion 6th Sunday of Easter St Boniface

Children and families welcome, refreshments after the service

Any question please contact Padre Nick on +49 1722 595317

Paderborn 1945: The End of the War 80 Years Ago

An exhibition by the Paderborn City and District Archives. In the Foyer of the City Administration, Bahnhofstr. 28/30, Paderborn

• 8 May - 11 July 2025
• Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

17 exhibition panels show nearly 80 largely previously unpublished photographs of the destruction and harsh life in the immediate post war period. The city, littered with rubble, lacked everything: food and clothing, heating fuel and electricity, and housing. 

Yet, as early as 1945, the first steps toward improvement began. Clearing the rubble began, with the rubble railways beginning in September. A panoramic view from the cathedral in 1945/46 not only reveals the extent of the destruction, but also provides evidence of a slow improvement and the beginnings of reconstruction.

The bombing raids on Paderborn began in 1940, initially isolated and targeted at military installations and the railway network. Civilian facilities and residential buildings were hit, albeit on a significant scale, by misdirected bombs or inaccurate targeting. 

This changed on January 17, 1945. On that day, Paderborn experienced its first serious area raid, followed by the last on March 27, which led to the almost complete destruction of the city.

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Support for families serving overseas

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has awarded over £600,000 to support families serving overseas.

According to UK defence personnel statistics up to April 2024, around 5,700 armed forces personnel were stationed overseas. While the majority (66%) were posted within Europe, other key regions included North America, North Africa and the Middle East, and Asia.

Following the Trust’s own research and consultation, they launched the Supporting Serving Families Overseas Programme. Now, they have awarded nine projects a share of £127,642, with funding making its way to Spain, the Middle East, Cyprus, Belgium, Italy and more!

The projects funded in this round represent a range of support for the whole family. From support for those who have experienced, or are at risk of, domestic violence, to emotional health support for adults and children to help strengthen relationships while overseas.

Overseas, overstretched

A new posting can bring with it the usual upheaval: packing and moving all your belongings (drowning in moving boxes!), changing schools, changing job, leaving the dentist it took you 12 months to find. But add to that a language barrier, not being allowed to work for the next 2-3 years, having to pay for storage for all the things you can’t take with you, not to mention having to rebuy things you’ll need that won’t work in other countries, and you’ve got yourself an overseas posting!

The projects the Trust has supported seek to provide targeted support for families in-location to improve wellbeing and make the transition abroad easier.