Good Samaritan church preaches Love Thy Neighbour

In return for the gesture from St Chad’s – alongside its sister church St Hilda’s - St Nicholas Church in Fleetwood has been able to use the money to turn round what was a difficult financial position in 2019 to a much more positive one in 2022.And today, the relationship between the two churches was praised by Rt Rev. Philip North, Bishop of Burnley, who is a passionate advocate of ‘parish twinning’; as well as the redistribution of the Church of England’s financial resources between wealthier Dioceses and poorer ones.

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Bishop Philip said: “I am delighted that the close friendship between St Chad’s and St Nicholas’ is so courageously pioneering something at a local level which ought to be happening across the country.”St Chad’s, led by the Rev. Martin Keighley who is also the local Area Dean, committed itself to putting £10,000 a year into the finances of St Nicholas’ for three years from 2019. They did so in conjunction with the people of St Chad’s daughter church, St Hilda’s.Vicar of St Nicholas, the Rev. Carolyn Leitch, was originally appointed Curate at St Chad’s in 2015 also spending two years as Curate in Charge at St Hilda’s in subsequent years.She said: “This has enabled the people of St Nicholas to begin to believe in a future for the church in their community; it has been a real catalyst for the church to rise up and step out with purpose and energy again.”