Congratulations to Ruth, our Tower Captain, who is celebrating her 60th birthday.  Ruth leads our bell ringers who let much of the parish know each Sunday that a service will shortly begin. 

All Hallows' has a glorious ring of eight 1919 Taylor bells which sound out for weddings and funerals as well as special occasions, such as bell ringer Eric's 90th birthday.

New members are always welcome, so why not not join them? It's good exercise and more fun than going to the gym!

​Interested? Come along on a Monday evening when ringers meet for practice from 7.30pm. to 9pm. Sunday service ringing is usually 9am for the 9.30am service. And below you can hear some ringers in action.

The City of Bradford Brass Band is coming to All Hallows' on Thursday, May 21, following appearances at Holme Valley and Grand Shield contests.

Expect a mix of toe-tapping favourites, stirring classics and a few surprises. You may also spot one or two familiar faces, as the Rev Rob and his daughter Lottie are band members.

Advice from the bad is: 'Bring a friend, family, or just yourself, everyone’s welcome, and we promise a warm atmosphere and a brilliant night out.'

​Tickets are available via TicketSource or the parish office. Call 01484 541837.

By Kath Hinchliffe
​The grave of the Rev Cutfield Wardrope was uncovered in St Lucius' churchyard in July 2024 by a member of probation service Payback Team working with church's Eco-group.

It had been covered for at least 50 years and funding to restore it was raised by St Lucius' with a generous grant from Kirkburton Parish Council.

On Sunday, July 5 at 10.30am, the Parish Patronal service at Farnley will include an act of commemoration to mark the restoration, honouring the life and legacy of this priest and his family. You can read more about this remarkable character here.

Many congratulations to Rita Chambers, a cherished member of the All Hallows' choir, who is celebrating her 95th birthday.

She first came to All Hallows' 66 years ago, shortly after her marriage to Eric, and became a member of the flourishing Young Wives group, which met in the former parish rooms adjoining the vicarage.

Sadly, the group was not to last. One evening the then vicar's wife, annoyed at what she said was the loud noise they were making, barged in and threw them out. Soon after, it folded. Church visits were intermittent for four years, until Rita returned to the fold. 

A musician and teacher by training, she assisted for many years in the the music department at Huddersfield High School, also finding time to sing in the Huddersfield Choral Society and the Glee and Madrigal Society.

Rita joined the All Hallows' choir 12 years ago after asking the then organist and choirmaster, Malcolm Cruise, who readily agreed. There was no audition, or need for one; Rita still has a fine voice.

There were other activities, as she contributed to church life over six decades. Fund raising was one – and All Hallows' has much to thank her for, not least her work in aiding repairs to the roof and clock tower. In return, she values greatly the many friends she has made and who have sustained her as she lost friends from other parts of her life.

May she sing with us for many years to come – and continue to enjoy the odd tot of whisky!

The craft swop shop at St Lucius’ Church yesterday raised £530 for Bishop Musa's charity in Rorya, Tanzania.

It will go towards buying sheep for the Women’s Wellbeing and Livelihood project.

​The event was organised by Kath Hinchliff, Sue Moloney and Linda Alderson, to whom we are very grateful.

Candlemas Evensong at St Lucius' in February drew a congregation of encouraging numbers. And we were pleased to welcome to the choir, three new members: David, James and Mark, whose contributions were greatly appreciated.

The service included a newly written anthem, When to the temple Mary went, based on words for the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. After the service, more than 50 people down to a lively curry supper with wine.

All Hallows' was part of Heritage Open Days, Britain’s largest community-led festival of history and culture, last September. It featured a special exhibition on Almondbury’s history. We are now looking for a new heritage leader..

Rita Chambers was the point of contact and co-ordinator between the Parish and the wider HODs Team, but has decided to step back this year. Would anyone interested in taking her position, please contact Rita or the Parish Office.

It would be useful if you could make yourself known over this coming month, as registration for the 2026 festival – themed on EverydayHistories: the daily routines and jobs of our ancestors – opens on March 2.

All Hallows' is blessed with a vibrant church family and there are two new exciting volunteer opportunities.

A small, friendly group is being sought to meet once a month to help oversee the care of the church building.
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This role is about ensuring our beautiful space is well looked after and that small maintenance tasks don’t get overlooked. You won’t be expected to do all the hands-on work, but to help keep an eye on things and make sure jobs are followed through.

We are also seeking a group of creative and enthusiastic people to meet half-termly with Revd Rob, pictured, to help shape the church’s social calendar. This team will help ensure we offer a varied and engaging programme of events throughout the year, including fundraising activities as well as mission and outreach opportunities.

Again, the role is about vision and oversight rather than organising every detail. If either of these opportunities sounds like something you could prayerfully consider being part of, please Contact Revd Rob as soon as possible.

​Your time, ideas, and gifts could make a real difference in the life of our church community.

We have many people to thank for making the church look attractive during the year – and especially at Christmas. Not least are our gifted flower arrangers, whose creations adorn the sanctuary. Mary Brownlow made this lovely arrangement and we are grateful to her for her floral creations during the year.