Silence will fall on Petersfield Festival Hall next weekend in a poignant tribute to a man who co-founded one of the town’s most popular fundraising events.

The Giant Indoor Easter Charity Market will open with a pause, rather than a fanfare next Saturday (April 4) as organisers, stallholders and shoppers remember Martin Holmes.

A Thanksgiving service was recently held in St Mary Magdalen church in Sheet in memory of the businessman and former town councillor who sadly died from cancer in January.

The late Mr Holmes was one of the town’s most altruistic souls, as the Giant Easter and Christmas Charity Markets he co-founded and organised with his brother, Jeremy, have raised huge sums for good causes over the years.

“It will be a fitting tribute that this market will continue raising money for Portsmouth Hospitals Cancer Fund,” said Jeremy.

The free event will be officially opened at 9.30am by Petersfield town crier, Faye Thompson, before a minute’s silence is observed.

Volunteers will be raising funds for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and Rosemary Foundation while local good causes will be well represented, with the Petersfield Lions, Musical Festival and Cat and Rabbit Rescue Centre all having stalls at the Easter event.

Visitors will find a variety of charity, trade and craft stalls in the main hall and Rose Room with plenty of Easter gifts, collectables, greeting cards, art, books and more on offer.

Stallholders will include local artist, John Starling, a poet and author from Alresford and Ivy Watson, whose popular haberdashery and bric-a-brac stand sells everything from buttons and soaps to garden gloves.

Hot drinks, bacon rolls and refreshments will be served in the Rose Room while a raffle for the hospital cancer will be held in the foyer, with the market open from 9.30am to 3pm.