(A) Special day of sharing ended with around 80 people hugging the parish church in Helmdon last weekend.

Known as girdling the church it is thought to be a medieval pagan ritual and is the first time it has happened at St Mary Magdalene CofE Church.

The idea came from Astwell benefice vicar, Rev Will Adams who wanted to remind people of the central role of the church and the benefits it has for community life.

Niki Phillips, the church council’s communication correspondent said girdling the church represented the idea of mother church:  “It was lovely, I think people were thrilled to bits, it was quite exciting, something different.  And it was great because we had lots of children there and from their response they seemed to enjoy it.”

The girdling followed a family service where child enacted a modern interpretation of the feeding of the 5,000 story to illustrate the benefits of sharing

Children were asked to collect items of food for a stew, but after all of them came up with reasons why they should keep the item for themselves they found the stew was almost entirely water.

Brackley & Towcester Advertiser - 30 April 2010