60 new kneelers for Abbotsbury

The kneelers are an offshoot of a millennium community project to make banners for St Catherine’s Chapel in Abbotsbury. It was thought that the banner designs should be used again, this time on kneelers for the church. 60 kneelers were made, all depicting elements of Abbotsbury.

It was decided to do more kneelers and the project was begun again, with funds raised through coffee mornings and generous donations. Assistance with materials also came from beyond the village itself - a lady from Yorkshire who had read the local magazine whilst on holiday in Abbotsbury sent a large amount of red wool.

The new project's theme was 'front doors'. The front doors of all those who took part were photographed, a stitching plan was made, and the stitchers met weekly. Group members gave each other support both in the main task and in other ways, as some who took part were recently bereaved and some had never stitched before.

A regular visitor to Abbotsbury was keen to get involved but having no ‘front door’ she decided to stitch the cricket pavilion. Another recently-bereaved lady stitched her late husband's walking boots with a sunflower.

The kneelers were dedicated to Audrey Miners who was churchwarden of St Nicholas for 26 years and had recently died.

The project was overseen by Sue and Nigel Melville, and Vicar Margaret Preuss-Higham has yet to finish her contribution.

The Bishop joined the recently re-formed team of bell ringers to ring before the service. The team have been under the tutelage of Frank Attrill past ringer in many towers in the diocese and is reputed to be the oldest ringer in the diocese guild. The team recently rang for their first wedding much to their delight and that of the vicar.