Community prepares for church to become a minster

Church warden David Matthews and former warden Jo Jones believe the recognition will help boost the church's community work

Members of a town's church said a weekend of events to mark it becoming a minster gave the congregation an "upbeat, buoyant feeling".

St Mary le Tower is being designated as Ipswich Minster at a service on Sunday, which recognises its historic importance and work in the community.

A procession will move through the town before the service, and people can take part in "minster-making" events during the weekend, such as bell-ringing and a children's singing workshop.

Church warden David Matthews said: "We've got a bit of recognition and that reflects what is currently going on, and indeed, our plans for the future."

The Church of England said a minster was an honorific title bestowed on churches of regional significance, to reflect their importance and contribution to their local communities.

Some of the work carried out at St Mary le Tower includes the congregation running a weekly top-up-shop, where supermarket surplus goods are available to buy for a nominal £2 fee for a full carrier bag.

Jo Jones, a former church warden, helps co-ordinate the shop and said becoming a minster was really exciting.

"I think more and more people know that there's a church here, that it's open all the time, that they can come in," she said.

"They can sit on Wednesday morning, they can attend the shop, and we are a welcoming presence in the centre of the town."

Neil Thomas, from Matthew Higby and Company bell hangers, installed the six weighted training bells in the ringing tower

St Mary le Tower has had a long history of bell-ringing for at least 300 years.

Ahead of the "minster-making" weekend, a set of six training bells have been installed.

They have weighted flywheels that give the feeling of ringing, but the sound is conveyed to a set of headphones, so people can learn without disturbing the neighbours.

Amanda Richmond is one of the ringers, and said: "We are such an important church in Ipswich and to be made a minster is really exciting for us all.

"The weekend is going to be brilliant - we're having tours of the bells tower.

"People will be able to see our training bells for the first time, where they can either ring all six bells together, or one person could be just practising something of their own."

Banners hang across Tavern Street in Ipswich town centre, where a "minster-making" procession will go from the town hall to the church

The "minster-making" weekend includes:

• Friday: The Making of Ipswich, The Call of its Minster - An evening of entertainment through story and music tracing the historical and cultural history of Ipswich, from the medieval to the present day, including world premieres of works written for the occasion.

• Saturday: A church open day, cafe, exhibits and tour. There is also a children's singing workshop and bell-ringing workshop.

• Sunday: A procession from the town hall before the "minster-making" ceremony at 10:30 GMT - the historic official redesignation service of St Mary le Tower as Ipswich Minster, led by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.

June Molloy, head gardener, has been coming to the church for 40 years and has been hard at work preparing for the weekend