By JOSEPH TULIP jtulip@cngroup.co.uk

Published at 07:39, Wednesday, 13 March 2013

A VICAR will make an unlikely visit to the pub in a bid to safeguard the future of churches in her patch.

The Rev. Judith Hampson will host a public meeting at The General Havelock Inn, at Haydon Bridge, on Monday, where she will be joined by members of her congregation.

Miss Hampson, who is vicar of Haydon Bridge and Henshaw with Beltingham, is keen to gather support from within the community to ensure there is a place of worship for the next generation.

She said: “Churches have always been at the heart of our communities and they continue to play a key role, regardless of whether you attend regular services, or less frequently for weddings and funerals.

“But with maintenance, fund-raising, and other work that goes on behind the scenes, it takes a collective effort to keep it all ticking over.

“I want to invite anyone who cares about their local church along to the meeting, because we need to encourage more people to get involved, especially from the younger generation.”

Miss Hampson said the choice of a pub for the meeting was easy, as the landlady, Joanne Thompson, is a member of her congregation at St Cuthbert’s Church, Haydon Bridge.

She added: “We don’t have a church hall anymore, and the Havelock is a nice friendly place for people to meet in an informal environment.

“It will be interesting to see what happens because I want to make sure there are enough people involved with our churches long after the retirement of myself and others of my generation.”

The public meeting takes place on Monday at the General Havelock Inn, on Ratcliffe Road, from 7.30pm.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk