Messy fun at Taverham church
Messy hands were the order of the day at a Norfolk church this week as youngsters discovered the place of worship could also be a place for fun.
St Edmund's Church in Taverham launched the first of its Messy Church after-school events.
The event, which will now run on the second Tuesday of every month, is designed to make the church more accessible to children and included food and drink, activities, crafts and a sing-song.
Twenty-six children turned up to the first event and had a 'fabulous' time.
Vee Tebble, from St Edmund's Church, based in The Street, said: 'We had the best time, we couldn't believe how many children turned up.
'It was just fantastic and the children loved it. We went through three loaves of bread, they made things like you wouldn't believe and they painted and had a sing-song.'
Messy Church is a national scheme but Tuesday's event was the first time it has been held in the Taverham area, and St Edmund's is one of the first to hold the project in Norfolk.
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The event, organised by Rachel Seabrook, runs from 3.15pm to 4.45pm and is free for youngsters.
'It was better than we could have ever hoped for,' added Mrs Tebble. 'We saw people who had never ever been to church before and have never walked through our door.
'It was fantastic and the church was really buzzing. We were really pleased with the first one – we just need to get more bread and more bowls for washing hands for next time.'
The next Messy Church event will be held at St Edmund's Church on Tuesday, June 14.
Earlier this month, St Edmund's Church hosted the May Fayre which saw its vicar Rev Paul Seabrook race on a spacehopper to help raise funds for the 1,000-year-old church.
Are you setting up an initiative to make the church in the area where you live more accessible to the wider public? Call reporter Kate Scotter on 01603 772326 or email kate.scotter@archant.co.uk
