Gt. Massingham
Mary & the Angel Gabriel
"I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." Luke 2.10
ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, LITTLE MASSINGHAM AWARDED MAJOR NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND GRANT
St Andrew’s Church, Little Massingham, has been awarded a major grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support an ambitious project to preserve and revitalise the historic church for future generations.
The funding will enable urgent repairs to the church roof, replacing the failing temporary covering with a permanent terne-coated stainless steel roof, helping protect the Grade I listed building from further water damage. The church has been on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register since the theft of its lead roof in 2017.
Alongside the essential conservation work, the project will also explore future improvements to make the church more sustainable and welcoming, including a feasibility study for accessible toilet and kitchenette facilities and trial repairs to other areas of the church using traditional materials and techniques.
The wider project celebrates the church’s place at the heart of village life and the surrounding Norfolk landscape. Plans include new digital interpretation within the church, nature interpretation boards, and heritage walking routes linked to the Peddars Way and Massingham Heath, helping visitors engage with the area’s rich history, wildlife, and rural heritage.
Revd Joshua Whitnall, Rector of Little Massingham said:
“This is wonderful news for Little Massingham and for everyone who cares about the future of St Andrew’s Church. This funding allows us not only to protect a beautiful and historic building, but to reimagine how it can continue serving the community for generations to come as a place of worship, heritage, learning, and welcome. I must express my huge thanks to those who have worked so hard to make this grant a reality!”
The project has received strong support from local volunteers, the Friends of St Andrew’s (FOSALM), The Diocese of Norwich Parish Support Team, grant funding from the Norfolk Churches Trust, conservation specialists, and members of the wider community.
Read more about the award ,the plans for the Church building and the very significant programme of improvements designed to strengthen community use of the church at www.fosalm.org Work is expected to start in September 2026.
ITV Anglia News reported this wonderful news - you can view its report in Videos or click here.
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BOOKS WANTED TO RAISE FUNDS for HARPLEY CHURCH.
ON SALE AT BIRCHAM WINDMILL PE31 6SJ
Novels and children's books only. Can be left at Harpley Church, or 22 Back Street Harpley, or at The Mill, Bircham. More details : email ginawagg@yahoo.com or phone 07821 622381.Thanks
MONDAYS 9.00 - 10.00 PRAYER GROUP at GRIMSTON
meets at Orchard House, details from Rosemarie Bowers: 01485 600485
TUESDAYS 11.00 -12.30 BIBLE STUDY at GREAT MASSINGHAM
at Cobwebs, Station Road, details from Kim Frazer: 01485 520930
STARTING WEDNESDAY APRIL 16th 6.30 pm to JULY 9th.
( Not taking place in Half Term week May 28th)
WEEKLY ALPHA COURSE
ST NICHOLAS, GAYTON
Many people carry quiet questions about God, spirituality, and purpose, yet rarely find the space to explore them openly.
That is exactly why we are launching an Alpha Course in Gayton starting on Wednesday 16th April.
Alpha is a simple and welcoming way to explore the Christian faith. It has been run all over the world and has helped millions of people reflect on life’sbig questions.
The format is relaxed and informal. Each evening begins with food together, followed by a short video exploring a theme of the Christian faith, and then a chance to talk about it in small groups.
There is no pressure, no expectation, and absolutely no such thing as a silly question.
You don’t need any prior knowledge of Christianity to come along.
Some people attend because they are curious about faith. Others are returning to church after many years away.
Some simply enjoy the conversation and the chance to reflect on life with others.
Wherever you find yourself, you would be very warmly welcomed..
JUNE 1st - 6th
VOLUNTEERS WEEK
At the beginning of Volunteers’ Week, it feels right to pause and give thanks for those people who quietly, faithfully and often without much fuss, give their time for the good of others.
This weekend, our Benefice Annual Parochial Church Meeting took place. To some, an APCM may sound like one of those rather dry and procedural moments in the church year: reports, accounts, elections, forms and minutes. But beneath all that necessary administration is something deeply hopeful. Churchwardens, PCC members, treasurers, secretaries, safeguarding officers, Deanery Synod representatives and many others have once again stepped forward to serve. They are not just filling posts. They are helping to hold open the doors of prayer, welcome, worship and community life in our villages.
In many of our churches, the life of the parish depends not on large teams of paid staff, but on the dedication of volunteers: the person who unlocks the church, arranges the flowers, checks the gutters, balances the books, puts the heating on, rings the bells, reads the lesson, serves coffee, welcomes the stranger, or simply notices when someone has not been seen for a while. As I preached on Sunday, these are not small things. They are the threads from which community is woven.
The same is true in our schools. As a school governor, I have seen something of the commitment required from those who serve behind the scenes in education. Governors are rarely visible at the school gate. They are not the ones teaching the phonics lesson, serving the lunches or bandaging the grazed knee. But they carry an important responsibility: asking questions, supporting staff, thinking about standards, holding safeguarding to account, planning sustainable finances, embodying values and ensuring the long-term wellbeing of children and families. Good governance is a form of quiet service. It is rarely glamorous, but it matters profoundly.
And then there are the uniformed youth organisations, which shaped so much of my own life for many years. Whether Scouts, Guides, Cubs, Brownies, Boys’ Brigade, Girls’ Brigade, Army Cadets, ATC or other local groups, these organisations offer young people something increasingly precious: belonging, adventure, discipline, friendship, service and the chance to discover that they are capable of more than they imagined. Behind every camp, parade, badge, game, hike, craft activity or act of remembrance stands a team of adult volunteers giving evenings, weekends, energy and patience to help young people flourish.
So why, when volunteering gives so much, is it becoming harder to recruit volunteers?
Part of the answer, I suppose, is time. People seem stretched more than ever. By work, family life, caring responsibilities, financial pressure and sheer tiredness from holding a complex life together. The old patterns of community life, where people had more predictable evenings or retired earlier with energy to spare, have changed. People may still care deeply, but they often feel they have less capacity.
Part of the answer, perhaps, is fear. Volunteering today can feel weighed down by paperwork, regulation, safeguarding requirements, risk assessments and compliance. Much of this is necessary and good, especially where children or vulnerable adults are concerned. But for the new volunteer, it can feel daunting. People wonder whether they are qualified enough, whether they will get it wrong, whether they will be left carrying too much.
And part of the answer must be a cultural shift. We live in a more individual age. Many people are less rooted in one place than previous generations. We consume community services without always seeing the volunteers who make them possible. We want the church open, the school strong, the youth group thriving, the village event running and the local charity responding — but we do not always connect those hopes with the simple need for people to say, “Yes, I can help.”
So how might we begin to reverse the trend?
First, we need to celebrate volunteers better. Not with empty flattery, but with genuine gratitude. People need to know that what they do matters. A thank you, a public acknowledgement, a card, a cup of tea, a kind word after a long meeting. These things count and make such a difference. A church I used to be a part of celebrated an annual afternoon tea just for the volunteers, a way of giving something back to those who serve them so well. Food (quite literally) for thought.
Second, we need to make volunteering more accessible. Not every role needs to be a lifelong commitment. Some people can give an hour, some a morning, some one event a year, some regular weekly service. We need to stop asking only, “Will you take on this role?” and start asking, “What could you offer, and what would bring you joy?” I have always been taken by the Asset Based Community Development approach to volunteering, not based on deficit, or what we are missing in a community, but based on what we already have, the skills and gifts that people already bring.
Third, we need to train and support people well. Volunteers should not be abandoned once they say yes. Good induction, clear expectations, shared responsibility and encouragement can turn anxiety into confidence. The best volunteering is not a burden dumped on one pair of shoulders, but a shared vocation.
Finally, we need to recover a vision of service as something life-giving. Volunteering is not simply about plugging gaps. It is about belonging to one another. It is about refusing to become spectators in our own communities. It is about discovering that when we give ourselves away in service, we often receive far more than we expected.
At the start of this Volunteers’ Week, I want to say thank you: to our newly appointed church officers, to school governors, to youth leaders, and to every person who serves quietly and faithfully in our villages. Our communities are stronger because of you. And perhaps the best way we can honour you is not only by saying thank you, but by each asking ourselves: where might I serve next?
Happy Volunteer Week!
SATURDAY 6th JUNE 3.00pm HARPLEY meet at Church
PARISH WALKS
WEDNESDAY 1st JULY 3.00 pm GAYTON THORPE
WEDNESDAY 5th AUGUST 6.30 pm CONGHAM
SATURDAY 5th SEPTEMBER EAST WALTON
SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER 3.00 pm ASHWICKEN
The bluebells in the woods at Bawsey last April were magnificent so we will return there for the initial walk of our 2026 series of ‘Parish Walks’ around the Benefice. Meet at Church Farm, Bawsey PE32 1EU. Saturday April 25th at 3pm Followed by refreshments. Come and join us for some gentle exercise for about an hour. Over the coming months there will be a range of walks for all abilities so there should be something to suit almost everyone. If you’re not a walker why not come along and join us for, or help, with refreshments? These walks have proved to be popular ~ they are also great social events, a chance to chat and get to know those from other villages across the Benefice. Remember to wear strong footwear as walks often include tracks and fields which are uneven or possibly muddy. Why not join us sometime?
For more details check the website or contact: Rev’d Sue Martin revdsuemartin@gmail.com or Rosemary Mehers rosemarymehers@hotmail.com Or Tel: 07720 971753
SATURDAY 6th JUNE 10.00 - 12.00 pm
COFFEE MORNING
ST ANDREW, CONGHAM
Come and join us for coffee, cake and chat at our famous coffee morning
The success of the coffee mornings is covered in a short video clip hosted by Revd Josh and Helen Lilley, Churchwarden. Watch it in our video's or by clicking here.
SATURDAY JUNE 13th 10.00 - 12.00 pm
and SAT JULY 11th and AUGUST 8th
COFFEE MORNING
ST NICHOLAS, GAYTON
Enjoy fresh coffee, tea, homemade cakes and cookies. Come along to catch up with friends, meet new faces and support our local community. Everyone is welcome.
For more information: contact Christine on 01553 636913 or email revdsuemartin@gmail.com Bring a friend and spread the word!
SUNDAY JUNE 14th 10.00 - 4.30 PM
HARPLEY OPEN GARDENS
ST LAWRENCE, HARPLEY
Eight gardens will be open along with Croquet, a plant stall, an observation bee hive and an historical trail and quiz, a Treasure Hunt around the village. Raffle and Refreshments in the Church all day.
SUNDAY JUNE 14th 5.30 pm
HARPLEY COMMUNITY CHOIR IN CONCERT IN CHURCH.
Selection of Music from Classical to Modern. Donation in Church requested.
WEDNESDAY 17th - FRIDAY 19th JUNE 10.00 - 3.30 pm
PEW POLISH
ST ANDREW'S CHURCH, LITTLE MASSINGHAM
Can you smell the Besswax?
Join Caroline and friends polishing the pews in Church - or just turn up for a chat.
Caroline ( nee Meredith) has long family ties with the village - her great grandparents built the Manor.
SUNDAY 21st JUNE 10.30 am - 2.30pm
FoSB PRESENT THE VINTAGE TRACTOR RUN
and COUNTRY FAYRE from 2.30 pm
MANOR FARM, GRIMSTON PE32 1BG
The Friends of St Botolph Church present Vintage tractoes and Farm Machinery,
Steam Traction Engines, Craft Stall with Live Music, BBQ, Strawberries & Cream, Beer, Pimms and Refreshments.
Cash Only Event but FREE ENTRY and PARKING.
THURSDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 8.00 am 6.00 pm
BENEFICE COACH TRIP TO ST ALBANS
A Coach journey and guided Tour of the Cathedral with the afternoon free to explore the lovely city of St Albans.
The Coach will leave at 8.00 am from Hudson Fen ( PE32 1BY) where cars may be left and the return will be at 4.00pm with an approximate time of 6.00pm to return.
The cost all in will be £60.00 and to reserve a place please contact Rosemarie Bowers on 01485 600485/07940913176 or Joy Smith 01485 600402/07900893891
From the Church Registers of Baptisms,Weddings and Funerals
An archive of the year's entries in the Church Registers is on the "From the Church Registers" page. Follow the links for 2018/2017 and 2016..
FOR AN OVERVIEW OF NEWS THE YEAR 2021 AND PREVIOUS YEARS CHECK "THE ARCHIVED NEWS" CLICK HERE