Diocese of Chichester

The Order of St Richard Awards were launched in 2019 by Bishop Martin in recognition of exceptional Christian service in deaneries, parishes and local communities.

Each recipient is nominated by their parish clergy and one other supporting person in the parish.

Many of those receiving awards were at the ceremony, travelling from parishes in the east and west of the diocese with friends and supporters from their churches. The Bishop of Lewes, Will Hazlewood, welcomed them and presented each one with a lapel badge and certificate.

He said: “What a privilege it is to play a part in the service as we recognise and celebrate the inspiring work of those from across the diocese awarded the Order of St Richard. They, like the Saints who have gone before us remind us of Jesus’ call to serve which is the natural outpouring of the Grace freely given to each of us at Baptism”.

Some of the recipients spoke earlier about being given the Order and what it means to them.

Alan Thurlow, from St George’s, Donnington (Chichester), was thrilled and honoured to receive the invitation to accept the Order of St Richard Award. He said: “My appointment as organist of Chichester Cathedral in 1980 has given me the opportunity of spending over half of my life in what my wife Tina and I have come to regard as our home.

“Along the way I have been very fortunate in having the opportunity to serve the diocese as a member of the Diocesan Advisory Committee and also as organ adviser. Through this I have come to know a great many of our churches, along with the devoted incumbents, churchwardens and PCC members who care so passionately about the maintenance of their fine and often historic churches.

“It has been a real privilege to spend my life doing what is really my hobby.”

John Durrant from St Swithun’s, East Grinstead, said: “I feel very honoured to receive the Order of St Richard. It was a complete surprise to be nominated. I am aged 79 and have been involved in the life of St Swithun’s for 47 years. I have served twice as churchwarden and PCC secretary. I have been a reader for 26 years, serving on the then Diocesan Readers’ Committee as archdeaconry secretary for Horsham for 12 years.

“Outside the parish I currently participate in the Prison Fellowship Sycamore Tree Restorative Course at HMP Lewes as a course facilitator, East Grinstead Street Pastors and as a school governor.

“As my faith is particularly important to me, I have been pleased to serve the Church in its many activities including those in the wider community over many years.”

Alyson Heath has worshipped at St Mary’s Pulborough for 43 years and has been a member of the PCC for over 20 years as well as serving as a churchwarden for the past seven. She is a retired headteacher of the local Church of England Primary School and a former member of the Chichester Diocesan Board of Education.

She said it had been a real honour to be head of the local church school for 13 years and for the church and school to be centre of the community.

Although she retired from her role as chairwoman of trustees of Family Support Work, Alyson is still very active in her community. She chairs the local Deanery Storrington Group and leads on Fairtrade and Christian Aid at her church as well as supporting the eco church and children’s initiatives.

She also chairs a charity called Education West Africa, which supports church schools in Sierra Leone. St Mary’s Church and St Mary’s school maintain a strong link with the school in Kenema Sierra Leone.

Alyson said: “It was very humbling to receive this award and I feel honoured to have had my name put forward as so many people in our church give so willingly and generously of their time, energy and expertise.”

Julia Thorp, of the Church of the Ascension, Telham, has been the honorary secretary at the church, which is part of the Parish of Battle, since the late 1980s, having worshipped there from the age of five. Julie is also Liveryman in the Honourable Company of Air Pilots.

She said: “Currently, I am a member of the Battle and Bexhill Deanery Synod and for some years was a member of Chichester Diocesan Synod. Since 2004, I have arranged the clergy rotas for both St Mary’s Battle, Church of the Ascension and am the contact for the retired clergy locally. At the moment, I am part of the editorial team for Battle Parish News and am involved in various fundraising activities.

“On receiving the letter from Bishop Martin, I was totally flabbergasted and very humbled to receive this award.”

You can read more from the recipients in the next issue of Faith in Sussex, to be published later this month.

View all the photos from the day on our Facebook post here