St Swithin’s Parish serves a rural population of more than 2,500 people, in the villages of Lower Quinton, Upper Quinton and Admington, Warwickshire. St Swithin’s Church, built on a Saxon base, was originally linked to the Abbey of Polesworth, so came under the patronage of Worcester Cathedral, as it is to this day. The present church was consecrated in 1238.

This ancient church was beautifully decorated for their Peace of Christ Festival, running from Friday 3 July until Sunday 5 July and we were delighted to have been invited to play concert-style to a packed church on Friday evening, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Donald had put much thought into the ‘Peace’ theme and we incorporated poems, prayers and a few songs that are not normally part of our repertoire. We so enjoyed ourselves, playing to a capacity audience that sang along with us. During the interval, one couple said they were out walking their dog when they saw us carrying our gear into the church and were curious! They decided to investigate and said that they loved the whole evening. Thank you!

The family-friendly ‘Peace of Christ’ festival weekend features artwork, floral displays, poetry, other kinds of music, scripture reflections, treasure hunts, family crafts and quiet spaces. Our thanks to David and Fiona and to the Churchwardens and wider team for the invitation to participate in this fantastic event and to the village of Lower Quinton, who turned up en masse to share the evening with us.