Faldingworth, Toft, Newton, Barkwith, South Willingham and parish communities linked with Middle Rasen

‘A Selfless Heart and a Lifelong Commitment to Others', As I write this, Steve is trekking through the stark and icy terrains of Iceland. Originally planning a journey in the warmer climate of Petra, Steve's plans shifted due to the recent unrest in the Middle East - a testament to his unwavering determination to continue his charitable mission, no matter the obstacles.

Steve has been a tireless supporter of Alzheimer's Research UK, devoting his life to fundraising and awareness efforts. After his wife Michelle was diagnosed with early-onset dementia at the age of 38, Steve made the selfless decision to leave his job to care for her, ensuring she was surrounded by love and dignity until her passing at 43. This tragedy was profound, but it only strengthened his resolve to make a difference to the lives of others facing similar struggles. Since 2012, Steve has undertaken 9 treks across the globe, traveling to destinations such as the Sahara Desert, the Great Wall of China, and Peru., raising tens of thousands of pounds for dementia research. At each location visited, Paul left a plaque and a lock of Michelle's hair as a touching tribute to her memory. His upcoming trek to Iceland will be his tenth, with each journey standing as a testament to his boundless generosity and commitment to honouring Michelle's memory by helping create a future free from Alzheimer's.

Through his efforts, he has built a network of support and camaraderie within Faldingworth, raising over £150,000 for dementia research - a truly monumental achievement.

Beyond his work with Alzheimer's Research UK, Steve is a vital part of daily life in Faldingworth. He volunteers on the Village Hall Committee and operates a fruit and vegetable stall in the village, keeping prices intentionally low to help ease the burden on others. Even when the stall has been subject to theft, Steve has chosen compassion over frustration, refusing to let these incidents shake his resolve to help those around him. His heart is big enough to understand that sometimes people are simply in need, and he quietly keeps the stall running as an invaluable service to the community.

In every endeavour, Steve demonstrates a level of selflessness and kindness that is rare and deeply inspiring. He is a true asset to Faldingworth, a man whose actions and character resonate far beyond his words, embodying what it truly means to live a life of service and love for others.

ALL SAINTS CHURCH, FALDINGWORTH
Happy New Year to you all! Can you believe we are in 2025? It's been another eventful season in All Saints Church with highs and lows. Our sincere condolences are expressed to the family and friends of Jason Smith, a long-term serving member of our beautiful Church. Jason made a huge contribution to the running of the Church, including doing bible readings, brass cleaning and bell ringing. He will be sorely missed.

The Remembrance service was well attended, and our thanks must go to to Mr Fountain from The Royal British Legion and Peter Cook for taking the service. Our Collection went to RBL. The Craft Fair in November was supported by local residents and funds raised by the organisers went to the Memorial Hall. The Church raised funds by running the raffle. Many thanks to those who organised, contributed and attended the event.

All Saints was fully decorated for the Christmas season and looked wonderful. Our Advent service was a joy and it was great to see so many children attending. We reflected on the reason for the season and recognised the ongoing needs of others especially at this time of year. Our Christmas Eve Carol Service was enjoyed along with mince pie and other refreshments.

Blessings to all readers for the new season.
Enquiries to Rev. Bryan Dixon rev.bryan@icloud.com

To kick a very busy time off, we held a lovely Harvest Festival Service back in early October where we honoured farmers near and far. We were kindly assisted by our friends from Threshold Church. Donations from the church and school were gratefully received by the Salvation Army food bank in Market Rasen.

During our Family Service we were able to say a big Thank You to all those who serve to keep the Church running and looking so good.

We are grateful to Reverend Allan who stepped in to facilitate a Holy Communion Service for us. We were really privileged to celebrate a Christening for a local family, this is always a joy. And, we had a beautiful WEDDING! A great day was had by all, we were delighted to be able to host this happy event. The bride and wedding group looked amazing, and the Church was beautifully decorated to match the occasion.

We have also hosted the Service of Remembrance and contributed to the Craft Fair by selling Christmas sweets and holding a raffle to raise much needed funds for our Church.

Do join us if you can, for our Advent Service on December 1 st at 10.30am and for a short Christmas Eve Service on 24 th December, time to be confirmed, watch local press.

In a small village setting with good access, Faldingworth Community Primary School offers the benefits of small class sizes and a nurturing environment. With a recent "Good" Ofsted rating, our well-planned curriculum emphasises enrichment and pupil wellbeing. We are excited to introduce wraparound care before and after school this year. At Faldingworth School, pupils thrive, supported by a high standard of care, ensuring they feel happy and safe, ready to learn and succeed.

Each class enjoys an exciting termly trip! This term, pupils have met author Katherine Rundell, toured the LPAC theatre, explored artefacts at Lincoln's Guildhall and participated in a treasure hunt at Lincoln Library. Our youngest learners will soon be visiting Rand Farm. We foster a love for reading and learning through rich, hands-on experiences!

Our well-organised curriculum goes beyond the basics, offering enriching experiences for all pupils. This term, alongside core PE skills, children are learning fencing! We collaborate with the Lincolnshire Stay Safe Partnership to deliver workshops on online safety, wellbeing and the Mini Police initiative. Pupils also have the chance to take on leadership roles, such as Junior Road Safety Officers, Play Leaders, Reading Ambassadors and Wellbeing Champions, fostering responsibility and community spirit.

Community is at the core of Faldingworth Primary. We celebrate Christmas, Harvest and Easter with assemblies at our local church, and are currently collecting donations for a Lincoln food bank. Our Friends of School team actively support fundraising with events like quiz nights, pop-up restaurants and wreath workshops at the village hall. The annual Faldingworth Scarecrow Festival, held alongside our summer fair, draws visitors from far and wide, featuring local bands, charities, food stalls and many free family-friendly attractions. It's a fantastic day out, with games and stalls for everyone to enjoy!

Parents seeking school places now or in the future, please contact us to arrange to meet the team and have a tour of the school.

Little Jesters, an independent preschool located within Faldingworth School, offers a nurturing environment for 2-4 year olds. Rated "Good" by Ofsted, Little Jesters provides high-quality early education with places currently available. For more information, contact 07464 468932.

Faldingworth Scarecrows' show is always a weekend in July. – Visit Tracy Mildson's photo montage in the year when the theme was holidays and lookout for sunbathers, skiers, canal boats, pony trekking and more!

Find us on Facebook for updates - Faldingworth Community Primary School or Faldingworth School and Community Scarecrow Festival.

Coffee mornings take place at Faldingworth village hall every Wednesday from 10am – 11.30am in aid of All Saints Church, Faldingworth. We always follow Covid-19 protocol.

Family bingo will start in the new year on 18 th January. Everyone is welcome. Doors will open at 6pm. Eye Down at 6.30pm. Do join us for an evening of fun at the village hall, Newtoft.

Pilates classes at Newtoft Village Hall every Thursday evening. 7-8 pm until the clocks change then it's 6.30-7.30 pm. Everyone welcome.

Crafting group every Wednesday evening 6.30-8.30pm. Bring all your crafting projects and have a cuppa and catch up. £3 a session.

I took my young daughter into Church the other day to our lending library to choose a book. She asked me “Mummy – What is a Church?” I turned to her, thought for a moment and replied, “It's a religious building; It's where people celebrate births, marriages and death.”

Since she asked me the question, I have thought about it more and more – What would you say to someone who asked you? Think about the first time you walked into a Church? How did it make you feel?

A church can be many things and their meanings will be different and personal to each of us.

I spoke with my daughter about what I thought a church was. We then spoke about the last time she visited. She told me the last time she visited there were lots of people but there wasn't today and that she liked it when there was lots of people there. I like that too I told her. I want our church to be filled with people.

Every city, town, or village that you pass through has a Church – a place where people can gather together.

How much do you know about the church where you live? Do you visit regularly? Do you keep up with regular events that are going on?

Churches need a community to keep them open. Please support events at your local church. Please donate where you can. Learn about your local community and make new friends or reconnect with old ones.

A community meeting was held recently to discuss the future of St Michael's Church in Newton by Toft. With an ever-decreasing number of people attending regular church services and the parish clergy having an ever-increasing workload, it was determined that the monthly church services at St Michael's would need to be reduced to a limited amount throughout the year.

St Michaels is a small, beautifully situated grade II listed parish church whose origins date back to the 12th century. It was comprehensively renovated in 1860 under the direction of James Fowler, a renowned church architect from Louth. The church is always open for people to visit, and we would encourage you to do so.

As a community, we do not want to lose this historic piece of architecture from the landscape. We need to enable those parishioners who want to continue to worship here, we need to enable those couples who want to marry here, we need to enable those parents who would like their children to be baptised here and we need to enable those people who would like to choose this setting as their final resting place.

To be able to retain our church, we need continued support from the local community, we need to hear from you – we need your ideas – we need to use our church for community-based events – what do you want to see happening in the future? In August, we held our annual Fayre and were amazed and extremely grateful for the support from you all and raised the fantastic sum of £700.

In October, we held a Crafts Fayre where we welcomed local crafters and had some delicious soup and cakes. This was followed by a lovely Harvest service, again we were delighted to raise £129.40.

On December 22nd, we will be celebrating our Christmas service with Carols by Candlelight, followed by mince pies and refreshments, so please come and show your support by joining us.

There is now a book exchange situated inside the church, so please feel free to pop in and choose a book which are suitable for all ages, and please if you have any books you have read, leave them for others to enjoy.

Once again – we need you, so please contact me with your ideas and suggestions for future events.

Many campers got together at the Newtoft Social Club on a lovely summer evening. A wonderful evening was enjoyed by all. Thank you to Pat Macrae for sending the photographs into us.

We wgot there for 10am on the Saturday to set up camp and sit to picnic about 12.30.

There were games for the kids and adults in the afternoon, swing ball, rounders etc. and for the night a fire pit for chilling and guitar playing

NEWTON CHURCHYARD Over the years and well before my time, I have been told that there was a hedge in front of our church, apparently, behind the hedge there was a wilderness of long grass and blackberry briers when the grounds were unattended. Since those days someone in their turns, and not always someone who lived in the village, has maintained the church grounds as it is today.

There are always nice comments of how well the church and grounds look in the centre of the village, which is now open for all to see. The very healthy church grounds donation tin has been going now for two years, this being the third and all donations are kept and recorded. The funds go towards maintenance of the mower and is being saved for the day when the village lawn mower needs replacing! The donation tin originally started when I began cutting the grass after Charlie Mallinson regretfully became unwell and was unable to cut it. I, like many others before me, who have cut the grass, take nothing out of the tin.

I personally would like to thank all of you who have put your donations in an envelope and marked it with your name and address, and delivered it to me, so that the records and yearly accounts can be updated. Finally, for those of you who are unsure, the Churchyard donation tin is totally independent from Church funds. With the Church being in the middle of the village, with your kind donations, I can keep the village looking tidy, so thank you all.
Charlie Albone

Children's Football – Fridays, 6-7pm, Newtoft Community Centre, Trainers / Footie Boots needed, Outside Play!

Fitness by Dance ~ A class every Tuesday 6.30-7.30 at the New Toft Village Hall .... £ 2. New dancers always welcome. Contact is Steph Orr 01673 885573

Isobelle Burnett of Oakleigh Decorating & Property Maintenance based in West Torrington has won through to the National finals of The Painting and Decorating Associations Apprentice Premier Trophy Award competition. Isobelle has competed in the competition twice now, this year reaching the final after winning the Midlands Regional competition. The finals take place in Milton Keynes in November.

Skillbuild is the largest and longest running multi-trade competition in the U.K. for construction apprentices. Regional competitions are held for each trade and the top 8-point scorers for each trade across the regional competitions go through to the National final. The winner of the National final may go on to compete in the Euroskills competition, which is taking place in Gdansk this year.

There is also a World skills competition which will take place in Lyon in 2024. The World skills final features over 1000 competitors from 63 countries in 56 different trades. Isobelle is in her final year as an apprentice.

Oakleigh Decorating & Property Maintenance. www.oakleigh-ps.co.uk (Tel 07909726585)

Congratulations Isobelle on getting to the final. Please let us know how you get on in the final – we will all keep our fingers crossed for you – Good luck! From us all at the Community Spirit.

On October 1 st , The Heneage Arms held its annual “Lincolnshire Evening”. Thank you to Kate Whitney and Loretta Rivett who performed for us. We ate Lincolnshire fayre courtesy of Ricky & Sammy at Whisby's of Wragby, Cote Hill Cheese, Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese, Starbucks bakers, Myers, and the Lincolnshire Co-op.

£170 was raised for the “Lincolnshire Air Ambulance” Our thanks go to Matt of The Heneage Arms who handed the pub over to us for the evening and supplied some of the fayre on offer.

If you would be interested in attending next year's event, please contact Wayne on 07909726585, email wayneradley69@gmail.com or Sue on 07702048967. Booking is essential for catering purposes - numbers are limited.

The Heneage Arms website www.theheneagearms.co.uk is now up and running, on which you will find details of how to book your meals and for future entertainment.

Wednesday 1 st - Coffee and Chat between 10.30 and 12 noon & the Willingham Winner draw

Thursday 2 nd - To be confirmed - Tai Chi 11am - 12:10pm (Carol 07592071523)

Sunday 5 th - Breakfast bacon or sausage baps for cash. Available from 9.30am. Donations to Hall's fund

Wednesday 8 th - Ballroom dancing group, 6.50 pm (Paul 01507 313601) Thursday 9 th - Tai Chi 11:00 to 12:10 (Carol 07592071523)

Thursday 9 th - Qigong 12.10 to 13.10pm (Carol 07592071523)
Tuesday 14 th - Reel Issues FILM night 7pm (Roland 0794625905)

Wednesday 22 nd - Ballroom dancing group 6.50 pm (Paul 01507 313601) Thursday 23 rd - Tai Chi 11:00 to 12:10 (Carol 07592071523)

Thursday 23 rd - Qigong 12.10 to 13.10 (Carol 07592071523)
Thursday 23 rd - BOARD GAMES 2 to 4 pm (at Millendreath) (Jan 07834598703) Thursday 30 th - Tai Chi 11:00 to 12:10 (Carol 07592071523)

Our November quiz & pizza supper was an enjoyable evening, 32 quizzers quizzed. Well done to the winning team “Triple 4”. Purchasing and preparing the pizzas was a challenge but ended well. Special thanks to Virginia Edmundon and Ann Hardwick for their super work. Thanks to the helpers on the night and to June and Steve Brown for the picture and music rounds. Finally, thanks to Shirley Asquith for compiling quiz questions. £126 was made for Hall funds.

Plenty of novels, travel and gardening reference books, DVDs and a few jigsaws are available in the hall for loan or purchase for voluntary cash donations. Accessible during the coffee mornings. Please come along and use our 'library'.

This was held on Sunday 13 th November and what a super evening we all enjoyed. The quiz was very well supported by local teams and there was a close run finish for the winners. Thank you to our quiz masters John and Simon, an excellent set of questions was set! There was a tasty buffet supper too. Thank you to all who helped with the evening and to The Heneage Arms team for hosting such a lovely event.

We will be holding a Sea Shanty and Sausage Supper Evening on Friday 7 th March 2025. This will be held in East Barkwith. Watch out for more information which will be included in the February edition of the Community Spirit.

East Barkwith village held a wonderful Street Party to Celebrate D Day, the sun shone throughout the afternoon adding to this joyful social village event. A sincere thank you to Chris Wilson & his team of volunteers that set up & planned for the occasion. Thank you to EVERYONE that gave to the proceedings, it was very much appreciated by all. There was a hog roast, bar, 40's era songs and singing was led by Kelly Anne, some people dressed in period costumes, there were cars of the era and party goers could participate in the quiz which encouraged people to explore the village. An exhibition of memorabilia and facts on village life in the area through out the war produced by the Barkwith history group was displayed in St Mary's Church . The Barkwith Group Church fete was also held in the church grounds, keeping everyone entertained. A big thank you to all who gave items, time and support throughout the day. What a wonderful occasion to commemorate D Day and also remember and say thank you to those who gave their lives for us 80 years ago to allow us to have our freedom.

Barkwith Group of Parishes Church Community would like to thank all of those who have purchased logs over the past winter. £1600 has been raised which has been donated to Lincolnshire Rural Support Network, Wragby Chef, The Nomad Trust for the homeless and The Louisa Dickinson Trust small grants for local people in need.

A similar project will take place next season, to support it please telephone Andrew on 07770667632. Hardwood seasoned logs available.

Nestled in the heart of the Lincolnshire Village of East Barkwith is the Cross Roads Inn. Established circa 1842, the pub has recently been refurbished and is now being expertly run by Janet and Peter Parkinson - Fresh faces for this lovely, countryside pub. If good food, a lively atmosphere and a cosy fire is what you're looking for - The Cross Roads Inn is the place for you.

The Cross Roads is a true community hub - with the local WI, a darts team and many others meeting there regularly. And, with Janet's delicious homemade cakes on offer, it's no wonder they choose this lovely Inn as their stomping ground! Open for delicious, homemade, hearty food from 11am-9pm and drinks throughout. The Cross Roads Inn is definitely one to visit.

If you find you have nothing left to read or are in need of another puzzle to ponder over on these autumn/winter evenings, call in at St Mary's Church, East Barkwith and swap your book or puzzle for another. Donations to stock are always welcome and visitors to the church too.

Having recently had our roof issues sorted out, what a relief to know that with two inches of snow yesterday morning, we didn't have to worry about dripping water in the loft. Certainly, a weight off my shoulders, and once we get our extra insulation installed it will be even better. A job worth doing, however late.
My garden looks bleak these days. I had to severely prune some roses to make way for scaffolding poles, and generally reduce the height of some perennials. This was when the weather was milder of course, so I'm hoping not to have damaged them too much now the weather has turned much colder. Most of them thrive on neglect to be honest, but I'm sure they'll come back next spring. This is the time to be looking through catalogues to see what new plants we could be sourcing, some with a view to their growth in the coming years and to split for our plant sale. There's so much choice, too much for me to make quick decisions as indecision rules and I get nowhere! This, that or the other is usually my mantra. My daffs are all potted up, thinking about the members pot in the Spring Show, I'm hopeful of providing an entry, and I finally managed to get my tulips planted, so in a haphazard way, I'm organised!

Our year at the Gardening Club has been a good one, varied in our activities, and made more interesting with our speakers. At the October meeting, all members were given a questionnaire to find out if we could be making our meetings more diverse and interesting, and we did get most responses by the AGM in November. I know that currently our tech-savvy finance person has already spread-sheeted the responses we have to date (I knew he would!) and will finish this when a few late responses are in. Hopefully, members will be given the results when we have our first meeting. This will be at the Buzz Stop, when we meet for afternoon tea. Delicious food amongst friends, that's to look forward to. Be there at 1.15 for 1.30pm, although early, have a big breakfast in the early morning and save yourself for what's to come!

Today, for the second time this week, I set out for an afternoon stroll. Unusually, I ‘bumped' into two village personalities out walking their four legged friends, braving the weather which was overcast, mizzerly and damp, but on the plus side it was sharp with the cold so I found it quite pleasant! At one point, I thought where are you sun, just to see your brightness and warmth and send the gloom away, but then, I rounded a bend and there it was! The sun - NO - but a sight to cheer me up, so with a little more lightness in my step I continued a little further! On my way back I rested by the bridge to relax, watching the gentle flow of the water. It was a lovely 5 mins and in the afternoon quiet, I could hear the sound of the flowing water like a babbling brook, so, feeling at peace, I finished my walk. No sun or blue sky, but everything was ok in my world!

It is over forty years since I came to East Barkwith, and there have been many changes in the village since then. One of the shops became a cafe, then a private house. The chapel ceased to be used for worship, and joined its two predecessors in private use. The YMCA hut was taken down just before it fell down, and was replaced by the Village Hall, which has itself been extended and modified. The reading room, where the Scouts paraded for Baden-Powell, was used as the school dining room, and has gone, replaced by the Play Area. The school and school house, where I kept a bucket on the stairs to catch the rain leaking through the roof, has been converted to a house on sale for over half a million pounds. The pub has gone up-market. The doctor's surgery moved from one bungalow to another, and eventually went to Wragby. The garage has disappeared. The seed store has been converted into a desirable residence, and the fertiliser factory has been demolished and replaced with another large house. New houses have been built on fields and former gardens - some shoe-horned into spaces which seem impossibly small. Hedges have been grubbed out, then replanted. Farming practices have changed, the machinery has got larger, and tourists have become one of the crops.

However, some things don't change. The people in the village have inevitably changed over forty years, but the present inhabitants are as neighbourly and generous as their predecessors. The Post Office is still there, as is the church. The response to the restoration appeal shows how much the church is valued by the people of the village - valued for what it represents, and as the village's outstanding building.

In late 2009 the parapet and pinnacles of the tower of St Mary's Church were found to be unsafe and had to be removed. The cost of doing this swallowed up the church's entire fabric fund. On the advice of the church architect the committee applied to English Heritage for a grant towards the cost of restoring the tower and renewing the leaking roof and the inadequate drainage system which had allowed water incursion to damage interior plaster work. One year later we were told that the application had been successful and so began the formidable task of raising £38,000, this being 20% of the costs estimated by English Heritage. It was a condition of the grant that the village should do this. A fund raising campaign began in April 2011, initiated by an inspiring document entitled Olympics Restoration Project 2012 which was the brainchild of Martyn Chambers and distributed to every house in the village by Martyn and his family. Over 80% of the village residents and some former residents too responded most generously to the appeal in a number of ways. Many fund raising events were held and applications made to a large number of grant giving organisations and charities. By the autumn of 2011 Martyn was able to tell the village in another moving document that we were well on track to meeting the target. Then came a setback. Six contractors had been invited to tender for the work, but all the tenders came in well above the estimate supplied by English Heritage. In response to a plea for more financial assistance English Heritage granted a further sum, but at the same time, cut some of the intended work, in particular the internal plaster work and subsequent redecoration. In addition to this blow we were devastated to learn that the wiring to the heating system and the organ was unsafe and would have to be disconnected. It looked very much as if we could be left with a building which was structurally sound whilst inside a freezing church plaster would continue to fall from the walls. Next for the good news!

YOU HAVE DONE IT!

In a final update entitled” You have done it!” Martyn was able to tell the residents and friends of St Mary's that they had excelled themselves by donating a staggering £29,000. Events had raised £7,000, twice what we'd aimed for and other grant giving bodies, so impressed by the efforts of this small community had donated a total of £46,000. Where, you may want to know, will all this “extra” money go? The answer is that everything will be spent on the church. The cost of plasterwork and redecoration has been estimated in excess of £10,000, the wiring to the organ alone will be around £600 and as for the cost of a new heating system, it will run into tens of thousands. If there happened to be any left in the kitty we would very much like to install a toilet and servery, making St Mary's fit for purpose in the 21 st century. It is fitting that this project was entitled Olympic Restoration 2012. Now with the Olympics upon us, those of us who have seen it through from 2009 are ready to pass on the baton to others who we hope will take it forward. Centuries ago the people of East Barkwith gave us our beautiful church. Over the years, others have carried the baton onwards and now in 2012 the people of the village have saved it for generations to come. Thanks to those who responded so magnificently to the appeal, work will shortly begin on our church. As the latest document said “YOU have done it!”

Please click to Services page for up to date information on the Church and services in this month.

Comprising the Churchyards of: East Barkwith, East Torrington, Hainton, Sixhills, South Willingham, West Barkwith and West Torrington .

The Chancellor of the Diocese of Lincoln, His Honour Judge Mark Bishop QC, issued regulations as to the control and use of churchyards in the Diocese of Lincoln in 2008 updated in 2012. These regulations are legally binding and differ from cemetery regulations, which are made by local Authorities.

The regulations are available to read in full via the Diocese of Lincoln website.

Parishioners, and those who die in the parish, have a right to be buried, or have their ashes interred in a churchyard in the parish. Other people may be buried there at the discretion of the Parish Priest, providing there is room. Once buried, there is to be no disturbance of the remains except for exceptional and legally authorised reasons. Burial is a symbol for our entrusting of the person to the eternal love of God. The burial fee does NOT buy the burial plot, it pays towards the general maintenance of the churchyard.

Anyone wishing to erect a memorial stone should consult the Parish Priest as soon as possible, to ensure that the memorial conforms to the regulations. If the memorial does not conform to the regulations, or the Parish Priest refuses consent, an application for a faculty to the Chancellor of the Diocese is required.

Headstones should be between 2'6” and 4' high, 1'8” and 3” wide, 3” and 6” thick. They may be of natural stones, teak or oak, cast or wrought iron. Some stones such as black or grey granite, marble, synthetic stone or plastic are not normally permitted. The base of the stone may include a flower holder, but should enable ease of mowing. Monumental masons have full copies of these regulations, and will give advice on what is permitted.

Designs containing open books, hearts, figure statuary and photographic representations are not permitted. Neither are kerbs, chippings or glass shards. Any application for these must be by faculty application to the Chancellor of the Diocese.

Inscriptions should contain only the name of the deceased, dates of birth and death or age and date of death. Epitaphs must be simple and reverent, preferably from the Bible, Book of Common Prayer or Common Worship

It is preferred that ashes are placed in the ground without a container, but if a container is used, it must be of a perishable nature.

No artificial flowers should be placed in a churchyard except Remembrance day poppies, traditional Christmas wreaths, and good quality seasonal silk flowers. All should be removed within 3 months. The Christmas wreaths are to be removed by January 31 st of the following year.