Open Christmas, Cathedral boost, radio warning
Latest news of interest to the Norfolk Christian community include Open Christmas events, a boost for Norwich Cathedral and support for local radio from the Bishop of Norwich.
Hundreds of people enjoyed Christmas dinner at free communal events across Norfolk on December 25 thanks to the efforts of volunteers from churches and community groups.
Volunteers gave up their time to make sure that Christmas lunch, with all the trimmings, was available for those who do not get to enjoy the sort of festivities that many are able to.
The 20th Norwich Open Christmas (pictured above courtesy of Norwich Open Christmas) hosted people from all walks of life at St Andrew’s Hall, while The Salvation Army Norwich Citadel Corps hosted another lunch at their St Giles Street base.
Over at the Marina Centre in Great Yarmouth, Open Christmas catered for around 300 people, and they were given bags of donated tins of food afterwards to enjoy at home.
Some guests were homeless or living on the streets, some just didn’t want to be alone on Christmas Day and some selflessly gave up their time to offer some company and conversation to those less fortunate than them.
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Norwich Cathedral has received a £60,000 grant from the Cathedral Fabric Repair Fund to be used for essential repair work.
It means work can now begin in early 2012 to re-lead the roof on St Luke’s Chapel at the cathedral and conserve its timber work. The money will also be used to repair the wall heads and plaster in the muniments room beneath the roof.
“Work to re-lead the chapel roof has been long overdue,” said the Dean of Norwich, the Very Rev Graham Smith. “For years it has been held together with aluminium tape to prevent leaking, but there has been a danger that it could cause more damage long term. The grant will enable us to continue improving the cathedral experience for our congregation and for the thousands who visit us each year from Norfolk and all over the world.”
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The vital community role of local radio has been highlighted by the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James in a submission to the consultation on the BBC Delivering Quality First Review.
The importance of local radio to the community, both in times of crisis or seasonal emergencies, and on a daily basis, must not be ignored warns the Church of England submission. Local radio plays a vital role in the community, along with the Church and particularly in rural and more remote areas, but appears to be undervalued in the proposed cuts which could have serious repercussions, says the submission.
The response, drawn up by Bishop Graham as lead bishop on media issues, is based on input from the Church of England’s 44 dioceses. Almost half contributed with particularly strong feelings about the cuts.