The parish has won a prestigious award from the Diocesan Advisory Committee, the church body which examines and approves proposed changes to churches in this area, for its plans for St Mary’s Church.
Plans to revitalise St Mary’s, making it fit for a wide range of community and artistic uses for decades to come, as well as a place of worship, received the top prize for ‘Innovation’ in the annual Salisbury DAC awards.
The Rev’d Gerry Lynch, Curate of St John with St Mary, Devizes, and Nigel Carter of the St Mary’s Devizes Trust, travelled to Salisbury on Friday to receive the award from the Rt Rev’d Andrew Rumsey, Bishop of Ramsbury.
Gerry Lynch said, “Credit for the proposals for the future St Mary’s winning an award is shared between many people who have put their time, energy, and imagination into ensuring this spectacular Grade I listed building is a blessing for the people of Devizes for generations to come. Both the parish and the St Mary’s Devizes Trust have played an enormous part.
“Churchgoers and non-churchgoers from a wide range of interests, over many years, have worked so hard and all it’s a pity that all of them couldn’t have come down to receive the award together, as all of them deserved it.”