Press Call from RIBI

May 2005 REF: 05-180a

DEDICATION OF ETERNAL FLAME LAMP OVER TOMB OF THE VENERABLE BEDE

Date: Saturday 11th June 2005
Place: Durham Cathedral
Time: 2.00pm

An eternal flame lamp will be dedicated and placed over the tomb of The Venerable Bede in Durham Cathedral on Saturday 11th June at 2.00pm, at a multi-faith service of thanksgiving to celebrate the centenary of Rotary International. The lamp is a gift to the Cathedral from Rotary Clubs in the north–east. The service will be conducted by the Bishop of Durham

The Right Reverend Thomas Wright and attended by President of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, Gordon McInally, and representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, The Salvation Army, the Moslem community and other religious denominations as well as Rotarians from clubs in the north-east. The Aycliffe & Brancepeth Brass band and the Sugarwood Junior School Singers will be in attendance.

The brass lamp was specially commissioned through the offices of Durham Cathedral and designed by Christopher Downs, Consultant Architect to the Cathedral and made by Stephen Hosler and Malcolm Welch. It cost in the region of £4,000.00. The project was supported by a centennial grant from Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland and Rotary Clubs in the north-east. Durham Cathedral is a World Heritage site and receives 600,000 visitors a year.

The Anglican Diocese of Durham is one of 44 Dioceses in the Church of England. There are about 290 parishes, ranging from the inner-city and industrial areas, particularly on Tyneside and Wearside, to the remote rural dales in the West, reaching up into the high Pennines. The church has a wonderful tradition of Christian life and service here dating back to the Venerable Bede, who lived and worked here in the seventh and eighth centuries. He is buried in the wonderful Cathedral in Durham itself, as is Saint Cuthbert, who as Bishop of Lindisfarne in the seventh century looked after this whole area. More recently Durham has a famous tradition of biblical and theological scholarship, both among its Bishops and in its University.

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For more information,photos, or to arrange interviews please contact: Judith Diment Telephone 01628 672965 or 07860 162313 Email: judithdiment@aol.com
or Syd Howarth Telephone 01325 300212 or 01325 320901 email: syd@np1.co.uk
or Tony Wortman Rotary Club of Seaburn 0191 514 5756

Note for Editors
Rotary is an organisation of business and professional men and women who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Members carry out this work in their community and/or overseas by giving their time and their expertise.

A Rotary Club is open to men and women who are business, professional or community leaders who want to use their experience for the benefit of others. Paul Harris formed the world’s first service club in Chicago on 23rd February 1905.

The name Rotary is derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices. Today there are some 1.2 million Rotary club members of more than 30,000 clubs in 167 countries.