Order of St Richard Recognises Exceptional Contributions to Local Life
Hundreds of family members, friends and parishioners gathered in the cathedral at the weekend for Evensong to witness the special occasion of twenty-six lay people admitted to the Order of St Richard by Bishop Martin.
The Order of St Richard was founded in 2019.The award is made in recognition of their exceptional Christian service in their deanery, parish, and local community.
The lay people from all four archdeaconries in the Diocese [Horsham, Brighton and Lewes, Hastings, and Chichester] each received a certificate signed by the bishop, and a collarette/lanyard with the pin on it so they can wear it either with the pin or the pin on its own.
We spoke to five of the recipients after the service and this is what they had to say:
Vikki Cook is from St Mary the Virgin Church in Battle in East Sussex. She was nominated for her exceptional and faithful service to her church and community - all done with modesty and generosity. Vikki is involved with all aspects of church life, as Sacristan, Sunday School teacher, Mother’s Union Chair, she runs the St Mary’s Busy Bees Parent and toddler’s outreach. She is Mayor of Battle, Brown Owl, Guide Leader, and has a RACM medal. Vikki said she felt ‘very led, by the Holy Spirit, by God himself.’ She said it was a great honour to receive the order of St Richard. “If I can make life better for just one person it would all be worth it.”
John Philips, from St Mary Magdalen in Coldean, Brighton was nominated for his work with youth in the parish and diocese. He was surprised when he got the letter saying he had been nominated. He said: “I don’t think I’ve been awarded anything since I left university! I’ve been helping with the youth camp for thirty years since the early 1990s. when my daughter took part. It was clear the vicar needed some help cooking., and that is when my wife and I stepped in. I still get involved today although we don’t camp any more. I now run the information office.”
Penny Burton is a member of St Edward the Confessor Church in Burgess Hill. She was nominated by her vicar Jules Middleton, for being a key person in her church’s life for over 30 years and serving on the Deanery Synod. She said: “It was really great day. I think the thing that stands out for me is the personal touch Bishop Martin brought to the whole occasion. Thank you."
Felicity Furnee is a member of St John’s Burgess Hill and was nominated by her Vicar David Charles. He said: “The way Felicity spent the day of the service itself epitomises why she was nominated. She spent the entire morning running her monthly church stall, on the street outside the church; after an hour’s break for lunch, she travelled to the Cathedral for the service; after a similarly short break back, she was at church all evening to support a concert we were hosting. Even in her eighties her energy knows no bounds!
“We were so proud and thrilled to see Felicity’s stalwart service acknowledged; powered by prayer and a passion for people, she has been such an unsung hero in the parish, for over 50 years.”
Sheila Ryan from Bepton Church, was commended for her long and distinguished service to the Church of England and her local parish. She has been described as the glue who holds the parish together. Like many, Shelia was held up due to the weight of traffic in Chichester on Saturday 8th October. She said: “It was calming and reassuring to be greeted kindly when shown to my place for the investiture.Bishop Martin started the service of choral evensong with a warm commendation and then each of us in turn received our Badge of St Richard on its ribbon plus a certificate signed by him.
“That was moving in itself, but when we processed to the shrine of St Richard at the end of the service we found Bishop Martin in sparkling form for our group photograph and then, as he said, ‘acting as a cardboard backdrop’ for those having an individual photograph taken with him.
“This was certainly an afternoon to remember, the essence being a badge of St Richard to wear with pride in the future.”
You can listen here to Vicki Cooke and John Philips talking about being nominated for their award.
Nominations for 2023 are now open: The deadline is May 12th. The new nomination form can be found here
Order of St Richard full list of recipients and citation:
Brighton & Lewes
Malcolm Anderson – for enabling the parish to use modern technology and his work in the wider community
Gill Evans – for her support of the musical life of the church and for her local community
Susan Richardson – For outstanding dedication to her church as churchwarden
Mary Wyn Thomas – For her exception al modest support for her church and local community performed with devotion and a wonderful sense of humour
Diana Woodcock – For her faithful and pastoral care of her church congregation
John Phillips – For his work with youth in the parish and diocese
Hastings
Carol Brown – for her work as a devoted churchwarden who has brought her Christian faith into her many years of service to her church and community
Caryl Victoria Cook – For exceptional and faithful service to her church and community all done with modesty and generosity.
Ron & Ruth Harrington – For their devotion to the church described as a vision of hope for the community
Mrs Jane Overall – for her support to 3 incumbents and for being a good listener and encourager
Mrs Tessa Potts – For serving her parish as a devoted Sacristan for 26 years and supporting all areas of parish work.
Frances Rogers – For turning her small local beachside church into a dynamic community centre space that nourishes and brings strength to many thousand visitors each year.
Horsham
Penny Burton – For being a key person in her church’s life for over 30 years and serving on the Deanery Synod
Sandra and Michael Cook – For their devoted work for their church particularly with children and young people
Felicity Fernee – for her contribution to both the spiritual life of the parish but also outreach into the wider community
Mrs Mavis Marwood – for her service to her church and local community
Peter Vince – For his exceptional devotion to his local church and his fundraising skills
Chichester
Richard Archer – For his work reviving his local church, ensuring it’s financial security and his work in the wider community.
Commander Harry Campbell Bates & Mrs Nina Bates for their service to their church particularly looking after the fabric of the building and churchyard.
Sheila Ryan for her long and distinguished service to the Church of England and her local parish. She has been described as the glue who holds the parish together.
Nicholas Le Hive – for his support for his priest and his work keeping the parish going in difficult times.
Evalyn Stanford – For her quiet devotion to her parish church and local community
Sleelagh Ann Underwood – For her faithful and outstanding service as Sacristan and the many jobs she does for the parish.