Community spirit shines through as Bamburgh church decorated with hundreds of pompoms - find out why

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When you open the door of St Aidan’s church in Bamburgh in the next few weeks, expect a feast of colour and light.

Lockdown did not stop the community working together to decorate the church for Easter.

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Over 400 pompoms as well as chicks and flowers were made by people across the village and used to decorate St Aidan’s.

“When we went into lockdown after Christmas, lots of people were asking what we could do to keep our great community spirit going”, said Rev Louise Taylor-Kenyon.

Pompoms at St Aidan's Church in Bamburgh.Pompoms at St Aidan's Church in Bamburgh.
Pompoms at St Aidan's Church in Bamburgh.

“We couldn’t have our regular village winter events, so we decided that making pompoms was a bit of fun that would brighten up the long winter days, using an idea from Stamfordham and Matfen churches.

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"They’ve been made by so many people, men and women, old and not so old, and our wonderful flower team strung them together and decorated the church for Easter – in a socially distanced way, of course.”

She continued: “During Lent the church is not decorated at all, so to open the doors on Easter Day to a riot of colour was amazing, and has lifted everyone’s spirits. The church has been open for private prayer and Sunday worship all year, but this helps us look forward with confidence to the future. “

All three churches that Rev Louise is Vicar of have pulled out all the stops; St Mary’s Belford has been beautifully decorated with flowers, and St Hilda’s Lucker, the only church of the three that had to close, took advantage of this to have a huge churchyard clear-up, so that headstones hidden by brambles and undergrowth for years can now be seen once again.

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Around 400 pompoms were made by the local community.Around 400 pompoms were made by the local community.
Around 400 pompoms were made by the local community.

“Some of them look as though they were put in place yesterday, even though they are over 150 years old,” said Rev Louise.

It’s been a tough 12 months, but this remote corner of Northumberland is showing that there is lots of energy and ingenuity in the churches and surrounding communities.

Under the current regulations the Government has permitted public worship to continue, if it is safe to do so.

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While many churches have decided to offer digital services only for the time being, others are continuing to remain open, in a Covid-secure way, for individual prayer and public worship.

Bamburgh church pompoms.Bamburgh church pompoms.
Bamburgh church pompoms.
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