Family use sport for virtual launch of Blackpool church

Adrian and Fran Wolton were installed two weeks ago to lead the Beacon Church but are currently unable to relocate with their three children from their present home in Morecambe due to the lockdown restrictions.

For the time being they are running the church virtually and have launched Beacon Sports Day on Facebook to encourage residents to take part in fun activities with them and their family Martha, eight, Lottie, seven, and Hamish, four.

A sport will be named each Wednesday for people to re-enact at home with skiing, bog snorkelling and surfing among examples.

They will then be invited to act out that sport, posting a photo or video of their efforts. A winner will be chosen each day and receive a prize in the post.

Adrian and Fran were installed to run the Blackpool Beacon Church during a virtual licensing ceremony along with around 100 others on Zoom with Rev Jill Duff, Bishop of Lancaster.

Adrian said: “It was an amazing experience to have all these people join us from so many places and just shows what technology can achieve.

"That's why we've chosen Facebook for our sports days."

Beacon Church, which is part of the Blackburn Diocese, is the new name for Christ Church with All Saints which was on Palatine Road but will not operate in the traditional way.

Initially it will run from Reads Avenue before finding more permanent premises, and the aim is to reach out into the community particularly to those most in need.

Adrian said: "We're both really excited about moving to Blackpool and getting to know people, people we want to help in whatever ways we can.”

Adrian also hopes to join the Backpool lifeboat team after serving as a volunteer for five years with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in Weston-Super-Mare and Morecambe.

Find them on Facebook and also go to @beaconblackpool, www.beaconblackpool.co.uk or email [email protected]