Pets go to church for The Blue Cross

The Blue Cross saw animals of all shapes and sizes descend on St Mary’s church in Thirsk on Sunday 8 June for a special animal themed Sunday service.

Local pets and other animals joined Blue Cross Thirsk centre staff and Jim Wight, Thirsk retired vet, whose parents ‘James Herriot’ and Joan Danbury married in the church in 1941. Jim introduced the hymn All things Bright and Beautiful, the second line of which became the name for the televised version of his father’s famous stories, All Creatures Great and Small.

Reverend Nick Bird blessed the animal congregation before they left the church ‘two by two’.

The pet service and blessing raised over £80 to support the planned major rebuild of The Blue Cross animal adoption centre in Topcliffe, Thirsk. The project will enable the charity to rehome even more needy pets and care for them in state-of-the-art facilities.

Thirsk adoption centre rebuilding appeal

9 June 2008