\wwewuchurchnewespaper.com ARURAL parish in Essex is celebrating after being awarded £10,000 to go towards the creation of a Post Office on its premises. Irene Allen, churchwar- den of St Giles Church, Langford, entered the sur- vey run by Essex County Council on quality of life for the region's residents just ‘two days before the dead- line. She told the council: “If I hhad £10,000 to spend on improving the quality of life for my community I would ‘shop called on | extend our church so that ‘to offer support | we could use it as a Post m converts and | Office and mini village shop sic leaders to | as we have no other ameni- & against anti- | ties” fiolence, ‘More than 750 residents £ “The Grand | responded to the survey, ‘0pt, Ali Gomaa, | each having the opportunity ‘Bere is no pun- | to win £10,000 for their local im this life for | community, eonvert, as has | Mrs Allen’s idea was one tmam Ibrahim | of our award winners select- z ced by judges from the coun- slim leaders | ells Quality of Life Unit. isthey ought to | After scooping the prize, ‘arly so young she said: “It was just a gem ‘ot misled.” | of an idea realy; I truly did- n't think the idea would come to anything, but it is ‘wonderful thatit has. “We have yet to meet with the Archdeacon and Council to work on plans to make this happen.” She added that the idea ‘sprung from her feeling that religion was constantly being taken out of modern life, so people were fright- ened to come to church because it had become dis- ‘ant from their daily living. “If people are coming into the church building on a daily basis to do their shop- ping, or to use a Post Office, then it might mean they ‘would feel more comfort. able coming to church on a Sunday,” Mrs Allen added. “Lknow there is a growing belief that church buildings should become more involved in community par- ticipation, so I thought this might be an appropriate idea.” Several churches across the country double up as Post Offices and village shops.