More than 70 Bishop's Badge Awards have been presented to church and community volunteers in the Diocese of Derby this year.
The final presentations were made in a special Celebration of Lay Ministry, in Derby Cathedral on Sunday, 1 October.
The annual awards celebrate lay ministry and service in church and community, and recognise the distinguished service and dedication of many individuals contributing in Jesus’s name to the mission of the church.
Bishop Libby said: "It is always a pleasure to mark and celebrate the gifts of people across the Diocese of Derby and to thank those who offer so much to develop and sustain the life of the church and its work in the wider community.
"We give thanks for the often hidden, yet crucial and remarkable work of people who do not seek recognition, but whom we honour specially today."
>> See the photos from Sunday, 1 October
>> See the photos from Sunday 17 September
There were three Bishop's Badge Services this year.
The first was held to celebrate generosity and courage shown by school children towards others.
The other two services, held in September and October, recognised missional innovation and missional long service in parishes, churches and communities thoughout the diocese.
Recipients of the Bishop's Badge are nominated by clergy in the parishes of the diocese and the reasons for the nominations can be wide and varied.
On receiving his Bishop's Badge in September, John Sterland said: "My late father whilst being a member and former tower captain of St Andrew’s (Swanwick) received a badge a few years ago for his work supporting the major refurbishment of the clock and bells at St Martin’s Alfreton. I feel quite reflective and privileged at being recognised in a similar way."
And nominating Cara for a Bishop's Badge Schools Award, her head teacher said: "Cara goes above and beyond to show love and support to her peers; always noticing if someone is struggling or left out and offering friendship; showing what it means to build community by supporting and welcoming everyone. Her unquestioning support for others during tough times, even when she herself has been experiencing difficult situations, is transforming to those who she stands alongside and a model for others to follow."
Those presented with Bishop's Badges on Sunday, 1 October were:
Awards for Missional Innovation
- Helen Hodgson, Belper, St Peter
- Beryl Hill, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Ann Johnson, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Ann Jwala, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Sue McIntyre, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Anne Parkin, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Barbara Walford, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Margaret Bromby, Cotmanhay and Shipley, Christ Church
- Robert Henry Glassey, Elmton with Creswell and Whitwell with Steetley
- June Fawcett, Great Longstone, St Giles
- Su Woollen, Great Longstone, St Giles
- Hilary Maltby, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
- Sue Wells, Old Whittington, St Bartholomew
Awards for Missional Long Service
- Barrie Birkin, Ashford in the Water, Holy Trinity
- David Lee, Ashford in the Water, Holy Trinity
- Kathryn Naylor, Bakewell, All Saints
- Carol Wicksteed, Bakewell, All Saints
- Joy Layton, arlow, St Lawrence
- Alan Milner, Barlow, St Lawrence
- Roger Stubbins, Barlow, St Lawrence
- Geoff Walker, Barlow, St Lawrence
- Keith Wollerton. Belper, St Peter
- Robin Norman, Blackwell, St Werburgh
- Julie Barker, Boulton, St Mary
- Iris Armett, Buxton Team Parish
- Josephine Fry, Buxton Team Parish
- Alan Kirk, Buxton Team Parish
- Eric Thompson, Buxton Team Parish
- Pam Woodroffe, Buxton Team Parish
- Brian Moorhouse, Castleton, St Edmund
- Doris Gould, Chesterfield, Holy Trinity & Christ Church
- John Holmes, Chesterfield, Holy Trinity & Christ Church
- Audrey Musson, Chesterfield, Holy Trinity & Christ Church
- Julie Hart, Cotmanhay and Shipley, Christ Church
- Alwyn Tew, Cromford, St Mary
- Kim Hardy, Derby, St Anne
- Alison Haslam, Derby, St Anne
- Dennis Bull, Derby, St Barnabas
- Dorothy Ann Oliver, Derby, St Barnabas
- Valerie Dykes, Etwall, St Helen
- Jennifer Rowson, Great Longstone, St Giles
- Jennifer Rowson, Great Longstone, St Giles
- Peter Rowson, Great Longstone, St Giles
- Andrea Clarke, Hatton, All Saints Church
- Alison Mottram, Hatton, All Saints Church
- Frances Toye, Hatton, All Saints Church
- Michael Osborne, Holbrook, St Michael
- Susan Crabb, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
- Lindsay Steele, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
- Rachel Coupe, Melbourne,St Michael with St Mary
- Hazel Hole, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
- Margaret James, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
- David Wellens, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
- Pat Hassall, Sawley, All Saints and St Mary
- Anne Ball,Stanley and Stanley Common
- Janet Costall, Stanley and Stanley Common
- Sue Hartley, Sutton on the Hill, St Michael
- Janet Hopper, Swadlincote, Emmanuel
- David Hopper, Swadlincote, Emmanuel
- Maggie Fenby-Taylor, Ticknall, St George
- Jenny Stewart, Ticknall, St George
- Margaret Whyte, Ticknall, St George
- Paul Whitehall, Walbrook Epiphany
- Jean Parsons, West Hallam, St Wilfrid
- Ruth Bennett, Whitfield, St James
- Gillian Booth, Whitfield, St Luke
- Laurie Gill, Whitfield, St Luke
- Janet Magson, Wingerworth, All Saints
Those presented with Bishop's Badges on Sunday, 17 September were:
Awards for Missional Innovation
- John Bird, Littleover, St Peter & Blagreaves
- Jim Davison, West Hallam, St Wilfrid
- Gen Tarr, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
- Margaret Weightman, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
Awards for Missional Long Service
- Michèle Aspinall, Allestree, St Edmund
- Kate Bassford, Sawley, All Saints and St Mary
- Janet Bradshaw, Sutton-cum-Duckmanton
- Liz Broomhead, Hartington
- Christine Brown, Blackwell, St Werburgh
- Bryan Clarke, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Margaret Clarke, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Emson Maneya, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
- Ann Cooper, Youlgreave
- Averill Crisp, Swadlincote, Emmanuel
- Lynne Dawson, Old Brampton, St Peter & St Paul
- Christopher Dullage, Hartington
- John Entwistle, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
- Jane Entwistle, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
- Rob Groome, Risley, All Saints
- Brenda Harrop, Youlgreave
- Hannah Hawkins, Brimington, St Michael and All Angels
- Sylvia Homer, Stanton by Dale, St Michael and All Angels
- Zoe Leleux, Stanton by Dale, St Michael and All Angels
- Sue Marsh, Bakewell, All Saints
- Sally Renshaw, Tibshelf, St John the Baptist
- Patricia Rhodes, Tibshelf, St John the Baptist
- Cyril Roberts, Old Brampton, St Peter & St Paul
- Melanie Rose, Belper, St Peter
- Phil Sparrow, Chesterfield, SS Augustine
- John Sterland, Swanwick, St Andrew and Pentrich, St Matthew
- Mary Thompson, Smalley, St John the Baptist
- Mo Tolson, Risley, All Saints
- Alan Tolson, Risley, All Saints
Recipients and their families take the opportunity for a photographic memento with Bishop Libby
In 1927, the Diocese of Derby was founded and Bishop Edmund Courtenay Pearce, the first Bishop of Derby, arranged for a medal to be struck to celebrate this new beginning.
Copies of the medal were presented to prominent members of the diocese and to all those being confirmed in that year.
In recent years, the seventh Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern, arranged for a replica of this medal to be minted and mounted in the form of a badge.
As the eighth Bishop of Derby, Bishop Libby continues this tradition.
Each year these badges are awarded based upon recommendations made to the bishop, as a gesture from the diocese to acknowledge outstanding service to God's church.
