Some of our churches are fortunate to have very good local friends – and Sutterby, in Lincolnshire, is one. Until a few years ago the church was rather forlorn – saved from demolition in 1981, wind and weather-tight, retaining medieval fabric – the only sign of an ancient settlement now deserted.

In 2013 this all changed, after Geoff and Denise Wheatley visited the church and resolved to revive it. They have brought together local people and established a thriving community project called the ‘Spirit of Sutterby’ – organising events, talks and activities based around the church.

We are really pleased to hear they have made it to the final of the Lincolnshire Environmental Awards (Community Category). The judging is on Thursday May 26th at The Bentley Hotel in Lincoln. Well done to all involved!

Read more about Sutterby church.
 

Spirit of Sutterby is a community project organised under the umbrella of the Down Your Wold project. Its aim is to tell the story of Sutterby – to research the past, to record the present and to give Sutterby a future through its past. For Sutterby, it is the chance to regain its social and historical landscap, and for those involved in the project, a chance to learn, explore, unearth, research, create & record.

There are four strands to explore :-

• the church: its history and architecture
• the churchyard: its gravestones and families
• the village: its echoes of a medieval past, glimpsed now through grassy humps and ploughed fields
• the natural history: discover the present and develop the future

Visit the Spirit of Sutterby website.