LincolnshireASLACKBYStJamesGreat(denisegudginPERMISSIONBYEMAIL)1 DeniseGudgin
DeniseGudgin

Breathing new life into stories lost by time

Published:

Copied

Churches are not just for worship; these buildings are often the greatest storytellers in the area. They have witnessed events of local and national significance, but they have also been shaped by the people who have connected with them too. However, some of these stories can get lost over time. One church in Lincolnshire decided it was time for them to be told – and found a creative way of doing it.

Aslackby St James the Great was the winner of the Church of the Year award at the 2024 National Church Awards. It’s a beautiful Norman building that has recently undergone a huge repair project to fix the roof and add in toilets.  

The repair project gave them an opportunity to think about how they could share the church’s history with others. And from this, an exciting new trail emerged...

Finding the stories  

A project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has enabled St James the Great to share the story of five people connected to the church in an innovative way.

Aslackby Voices: Through Time’s Pulsating Ebb and Flow is an audio trail in the church, researched and voiced by people living with early onset dementia.

One of the people researched by the group was Rebecca Gibbons (1843-1897), who emigrated with her new husband to the United States. The young mother experienced hardship, both in the England and in the US, but thanks to this project, her voice is being heard, and her story is finally being told.  

Rebecca’s descendants, Laron and Cameron Waite, visited St James the Great in 2022 from the US and had this to say:  

“As Rebecca’s descendants, we of the Waite family are proud to be counted among those whose lives were blessed by the courage of this remarkable woman. We are proud that through her we are linked to the beautiful paradise that is Aslackby, England.  

“We draw strength from her story, her example, and the knowledge that even in the most difficult trails of this life, it is possible to carry sunshine wherever we go.”  

What St James the Great means to me

By David Cox, a member of the Square Peg Club who voiced ‘Thomas Charles Pickering’ on the audio trail

A chair with a large button on it; this is part of the audio trail at the church. A piece of laminated paper is next to this, which shows a photo of David on it.
Ruth Towell

This wonderful church serves the wider and local community and can best be described as entirely inclusive for all who use it, whether attending Parish Services or by taking part in the many varied secular all-age activities and events enjoyed by so many.  

Chris and Denise [church wardens at St James the Great], supported by many other community members, put their hearts and souls into preparing for all the planned events and they totally deliver in every aspect, above and beyond. [We] have been lucky to have been so warmly welcomed and openly embraced by this church for many years now.

Getting involved

Square Peg Club members, all living with Dementia, have spent several happy and memorable activity days here. These past two years, we have been immersed in exploring, discovering and documenting by word and audio the amazing history of this wonderful building.  

We have felt excited and motivated to have been involved and to have contributed to the significant amount of work required to meet the required project outcomes. The result is quite clearly apparent, an example of just what can be achieved given the motivation, will and encouragement to succeed.  

The key issue here is perhaps a rhetorical question: “How can people living with Dementia actively take part and achieve so much?”  

Many people regard someone with a diagnosis of dementia as being ‘different’ and lacking in ability.

Sadly, even friends can suddenly adopt a different attitude to you – some even crossing to the other side of the road to avoid engagement as they are unsure what to say. Clearly this a sad reaction; unnecessary, inappropriate – making people like me easily feeling belittled and cast aside. Loneliness and isolation can set in and become overwhelming.  

Feeling welcomed

Speaking on behalf of my Square Peg Club friends, yes, we have a diagnosis of young/early onset Dementia – a hammer blow to receive and process. We are all at varying stages of our journey, but I strongly submit we are just the same people as at the point of receiving a diagnosis – of course life necessarily adjusts, but we remain living, feeling individuals.  

Thankfully, many of us have the support of our partners as carers, some our wider families and specifically in our case, the charity Dementia Support South Lincolnshire, led so commendably by Kate Marshall and her very able team of support workers and volunteers.  

Quite simply, we merely wish to be treated with respect and not categorised or marginalised in any way.  

Sadly, many professional organisations can adopt such an attitude. By contrast – and returning to this wonderful church and community – St James was awarded ‘Dementia Friendly Status’ and justifiably so. Whereas some organisations openly display their ‘Dementia Awareness’ accreditation but fail to follow through – they could learn much from this church’s attitude and fine example.

Chris, Denise and everyone involved in supporting the very creditable work of this church, respect, embrace, welcome and normalise us. These are simple key human attributes some organisations would be wise to consider, illustrating the mantra: ‘Where others lead, others can wisely follow.’  

This makes us feel so grateful, validated and enables us to continue to live with the vital feeling of hope for the future – life continues. 

eight people stand together. National Churches staff and Chair with the team at St James the Great who are holding their 'Church of the Year' trophy. Everyone is smiling.
Ruth Towell

Lost forever

Projects like this one at St James the Great are powerful. Not only has it given agency and opportunity to people today who are often marginalised by society, but it also has also given a voice to people from the past, whose stories should not be forgotten.

Church buildings are like anchors; they provide a link to the past while still being the heart of their community today, serving people through the many community activities they host and run.

But the reality is that most of these places get taken for granted. There are almost 1,000 churches in England on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. In Wales, 25 per cent of historic churches and chapels have closed in the last decade. The Church of Scotland is actively planning to close as many as 30-40 per cent of its churches.

The burden of looking after the brilliant buildings falls almost entirely on the shoulders of local people. Funding is becoming increasingly scarce. The UK Government has recently cut back its only form of consistent monetary support – the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme – meaning that repairs for listed churches now cost up to 20% more.

“A national plan is urgently needed, one that includes the UK Government, all Christian denominations and the heritage sector, which will ensure these buildings are properly funded and cared for,” says Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust.

“We risk losing many of these important buildings, and with that the local stories and history associated with them, if action is not taken soon.” 

Let’s stay in touch.

Our monthly newsletter features the latest updates about church heritage, including events and trails

Sign up