Volunteer using quilts to 'give church a hug'

Rosemary Jewers, who came up with the idea, said the response had been "unbelievable"

A volunteer is using quilts to wrap around a Grade I listed church, to give it a "giant hug".

Friends of St Andrew's Church in Little Massingham in Norfolk are trying to raise more than £122,000 for St Andrew's Church after lead was stolen from the roof in 2017.

They have collaborated with the charity Quilts for Care Leavers to wrap the church in quilts after an exhibition at the church in May.

Rosemary Jewers, from the church group, said: "So many people have volunteered... and they've come from around the whole of the UK... which is just unbelievable."

The 'Let's give a giant hug' project was started last year in collaboration with Quilts for Care Leavers.

The charity, which was set up in 2018, aims to provide a 'quilted hug' to 16 to 25 years olds who are living independently after leaving the care system.

She said: "I had an idea to highlight the church that I had been mulling around for many years in my head but then I thought maybe we could surround the church with quilts."

She said the response had been "unbelievable".

"So many people have volunteered to either make sections or quilts, complete quilts and they've come from all around the UK... from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and every county in England."

The quilts have been made from people across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England

The quilts will go on display in an exhibition at the church from 10 to 12 May and they will be wrapped around the church on 13 May.