Latest News from the Friends of Essex Churches Trust

Hundreds of churches in Essex and East London will be taking part in the 2009 Friends of Essex Churches Trust sponsored Ride & Stride this Saturday, 12 September - when cyclists and walkers will travel from church to church by bike or on foot to raise funds to repair and restore churches and chapels.

This year's Ride & Stride was officially launched today, Monday 7 September, by Essex sporting ambassador, Russell Hampton. A top cyclist, Russell has been recognised by Essex County Council as having the potential to compete in the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games.  
The launch took place at St Thomas’ Church in Brentwood.  St Thomas’ raised £2,400 in the 2008 Ride & Stride. This was the best church contribution. The Bishop of Brentwood, Rt Revd Thomas McMahon, presented a trophy to Roland Platt from St Thomas’ at the launch to mark the achievement.

Front row, left to right - Joyce Priest, Roland Platt (both of St Thomas’ Church, Brentwood), Rt Revd Thomas McMahon - Bishop of Brentwood, Dr Ian Jorysz - Rural Dean of Brentwood Second row - Singers from the Brentwood choir quartet, Song Cycle, who will sing a motet in every church they visit

Contact:
For more information contact Mrs Fiona Nelmes, Ride & Stride Organiser
Tel 01245 380365
Email fionanelmes@lineone.net

2009 Ride and stride forms

Click here to get access to the 2009 Ride and Stride forms.

New Chairman elected

Mrs Claire Cottrell DL, from Birch near Colchester, was elected chairman of the Friends of Essex Churches Trust at the Annual General Meeting on May 14. She succeeded Mrs Julia Abel Smith DL. Claire Cottrell has said: "My grandmother, Mrs Charles Round, was the founder member of The Friends of Essex Churches Trust in 1951. You can imagine how much pleasure it gives me to be chairman by following in her footsteps." 

The AGM heard that the Trust gave nearly £200,000 in grants to 24 projects for the repair and restoration of churches and chapels in 2008.

The AGM was held at St Mary's Church in Bocking. The Dean of Bocking, the Very Revd Canon Philip Need, showed members the newest stained glass in St Mary’s which had been installed on the previous day. This, he said, is the latest chapter in the history of the church which began when land was given for a church to be built in 995 AD. Bocking has the distinction of being the oldest of just six 'peculiar' parishes in England - called 'peculiar' because it came directly under the jurisdiction of the Archbishops of Canterbury. 

(Left to right) Julia Abel Smith DL, Very Revd Canon Philip Need and Claire Cottrell DL.

To view the report (pdf format) by Julia Abel Smith to the AGM please click here.

To view the talk content (pdf format) given by the Very Revd Canon Philip Need please click here.

Ride & Stride

Ride & Stride raised £106,409 in last year's event. Please click here to view the 2008 results.

2009 Ride & Stride Saturday 12th September
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Promotional Posters

To promote the aims of FOECT please download our promotional poster. The poster is available in both A4 and A3 sizes. To download the posters, which are in PDF format, please click on one of the links below:

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