Bless them all - Archbishop of Canterbury praises green projects on visit to Sleaford and Ruskington
ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams was full of praise for green projects being pioneered here when he paid a visit to the area on the final leg of his four day tour of the county.
A great supporter of ecologically-friendly projects, the
archbishop was interested to see the biomass boiler and solar panels installed to heat Ruskington's Chestnut Street School, which he visited on Monday morning.
He also climbed to view new solar panels fixed to the roof of Sleaford's St Denys' Church, generating renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions.
After a tour of the school, including meeting up with godson Simon Morley, assistant head at the school, he had time for a cup of tea with parishioners at Sleaford's St Denys' Church.
Considering the effectiveness of the solar panel project, Dr Williams told the Standard: "I think it works amazingly well. They have used the natural advantages of the church roof in the best possible way.
"It is really a model that I hope a lot of places will be following. I was in Grimsby yesterday and at one church there already they were thinking of doing the same thing on the model that has been done here.
It is a pioneering thing."
He added: "I have been really struck by the number of places where I have seen inventive, fresh ecological technology - a case in point the school at Ruskington I visited and the Epic centre in Lincoln, so lots of good news."
Commenting on how the church could help in the current recession he said: "It has been a real hitting the buffers experience for people, so they have asked very basic questions and that is not bad for us at all as a society.
"The church has been there to face those questions and give the answer they have got for them. It does not mean that people flock back to church but it does mean there is some seriousness around."
* IT was a thrilling time for all when the Archbishop of Canterbury visited the Sleaford area as part of a four-day tour of the county.
Dr Rowan Williams visited Chestnut Street CE Primary School, Ruskington and dropped in to St Denys' Church, Sleaford to see the new solar panels fitted to the church roof on the final day of his tour of the diocese.
School headteacher Christine Breckon said: "He was superb with the children. He put them first and had such warmth and interest in them."
They took him on a musical journey through the school to demonstrate their faith and raised their new flag as Dr Williams arrived.
His interest in sustainable projects took him to the school's Heat Box biomass boiler and solar panels heating the school. Year five pupils sang an anthem conducted by Lincoln Cathedral chorister Stephen Clay, before he added a stone and blessed the cairn where each new child places one each year.
There was also a moving reunion for Dr Williams with his godson Simon Morley, the school's assistant head.
At St Denys' Church he climbed to view the solar panels and complemented parishioner Eddie Double on his stained glass window in memory of his wife. Canon John Patrick commented: "He is a very natural person and easy to get on with. I don't know the last time an archbishop visited here. To have him for four days in the diocese is a real blessing."
Over tea he chatted to three-year-old Emily Watson of Sleaford, who said: "He asked me about my birthday. His birthday is in June like my little sister."
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Weather for Sleaford
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
