THE people of Evesham earned warm praise from the Vicar of the town, Rev A Webb, 40 years ago.

“We are surrounded by declining Church membership,”

he said in his annual report, which was reported in the Journal, “but I am pleased to tell you that we are holding our own in some respects and making gains on some fronts.”

The vicar reported that when he moved to Evesham in about 1966 his aim was to unite the parish in every way possible.

His task had been very successful, “but without goodwill and patience of the vast majority of Church people nothing could have been accomplished,”

he said.

Writing in the parish magazine, Mr Webb said he wanted to express his thanks for all the tolerance that was necessary in view of the changes needed.

Regarding the future he said: “It seems quite clear to me that in the future there will be a growing demand upon Church people to assume greater responsibility for the total running and concerns of their local Church.

“There will need to be more patience with the people who are not used to accepting responsibility for the Church, but we do have a vast amount of experience and talent between us. We belong to each other, and we must seek to employ each other’s talents in the best possible way.”

The Vicar especially thanked his colleagues, the Rev G C Smith, and the churchwardens Mr J Hodson and Mr R Hopkins, and Miss Gould, secretary of the Church Council.