Pupils welcome priest to their village

The Rev Graham Coles, who was licensed at St Mary’s church last Tuesday, made a special visit to the nearby Cubbington Primary School to introduce himself to the children on the next day.

As well as organising a service to welcome him, the school also invited the Bishop of Warwick, the Right Rev John Stroyan, to dedicate a cross which had been made by church member Kenneth Lawton.

The Rev Coles, who was formerly curate at St Mary Magdalene church in Lillington and at St James’ church in Old Milverton, said: “The children read out prayers and poems they had written, sang some songs and displayed artwork they had created to welcome me and it was all so welcoming - they were absolutely fantastic.”

The 52-year-old father-of-four has now moved into his new home with his family at St Mary’s vicarage. He said: “Many members of the congregation helped with decorating our new home. They had put together a hamper of food for us and the house is now full of flowers.

“It has been a great experience to move here and I have been made to feel part of the church’s family.

“I could not have asked for a better introduction to the community.”

Mr Lawton carved the cross out of green oak as a gift from the church to the school’s ‘peace garden’, which was created last year to enable pupils to have somewhere to pray or think during the day. Pupils, parents, teachers and governors had helped raise funds for the garden during the year.