'Working at the Church of Glastonbury is my religious retreat'
A soon-to-be ordained curate said working at the Church of Glastonbury for the second year running will be a religious "retreat where I can feel close to God". Lewis Simonds, 39, who lives in Milton Keynes and is based at St Frideswide's Church in Water Eaton, Bletchley, will spend the festival weekend in a simple marquee which he described as "a very gentle expression of church".He says everyone attending Worthy Farm is welcome at the makeshift place of worship, where daily prayers and services will take place, as well as baptisms and wedding vow blessings.Mr Simonds will be ordained as a deacon at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, on 5 July.
Mr Simonds, who has trained for three years, said once he is ordained he will become a curate and work alongside the vicar at St Frideswide's Church for about four years."It's a very exciting and happy time," he said. He has been at Worthy Farm, Somerset since Tuesday, to set up the temporary church, and will return home on Monday."It is open to anyone, with prayers in the morning, middle of the day and evening," he said. "On Sunday we have a couple of communion services happening, with pre-arranged baptisms and wedding vow blessings."The reason I came here was for a chance to be with real people, in a real place, in their real lives."It's a very gentle expression of church, where people can come and rest from the shade, rain, talk to someone, if they want."
He said that as well as giving spiritual guidance, the team will hand out "thousands of cups of water" and lend a hand to festival-goers."Even building tents, that is a moment when I feel close to God," he said."The world is diverse, the festival is diverse and the church is part of that diverse world, it mirrors in the microcosm of Glastonbury."He is also looking forward to catching some of the acts, including Alanis Morissette on Friday."For me Glastonbury is a retreat, I feel close to God, and I feel censored and ready for life", he said.
Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Princess Andre, 17, looks the spitting image of her mother Katie Price, 47, at the same age as she sports a curly-haired look for Dua Lipa concert
Princess Andre looked the spitting image of her mother Katie Price as she posed for a selfie on Wednesday. The daughter of Peter Andre, 17, sported a curly-haired looked similar to her mother in her heyday for the snap after getting ready for a Dua Lipa show. Fully glammed up with a full face of W7 Cosmetics makeup, Princess cracked a smile for the camera as the sun beamed down on her. 'What a beauty...' read the caption penned by Princess's beautician. The curly-haired look brought back memories of Katie, now 47, who donned a similar haircut when she shot to fame back in the 1990s. Pictures of the former glamour model taken during her modelling days in 1995 show her sporting frizzy light-brown locks while clad in a white two-piece skirt and top. Katie has indeed sported a number of different hairstyles over the years. After rising to stardom with her natural curly hair, during her Jordan days Katie would regularly straighten her brown locks. She later dyed her hair blonde, actually sporting a braided look during her time on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2004 - when she met Princess's father Peter Andre, 52. The nepo baby this week opened up about her private life in a rare interview, revealing that she's 'not a big drinker'. Princess, who turns 18 this weekend, told Ok! Magazine that she isn't a huge fan of drinking because she'd 'never want to embarrass herself'. 'I'm not really a big drinker or party-goer,' the 17-year-old revealed. 'I'll never put myself in a position that would make me look bad.' Princess also opened up about her split from her boyfriend of two years last month. 'I'm feeling good. I've always kept my personal life personal so I don't talk too much about it but now is the time to focus on me.' It was reported in May that she had split from her partner after her busy career left 'no place for a man'. While her former flame remains unnamed, Princess declared last year that she was 'in love'. According to The Sun Princess, who kept much of her relationship out of the public eye, will be doing the same with the 'tough' break up. A source told the publication: 'They just grew apart, they were each other's first love so it has been tough but there are no hard feelings.' 'He's still on good terms with both Katie and Peter, Princess is really concentrating on her career right now and there's no place for a man'. Princess' reps declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline. The teen first went public with their romance when she invited him along to her mother Katie's 45th birthday celebrations in Brighton in May 2023. Katie then appeared on Jamie Laing's Private Parts podcast, where she opened up on her thoughts about the romance. Discussing her Christmas plans at the time, she revealed: 'Princess and her boyfriend are coming up with me for the weekend.' Jamie excitedly interrupted: 'Princess has a boyfriend!' causing Katie to reply: 'I know, Ed. He's alright actually.' Describing their relationship, she continued: 'I watch them, and they argue, then they laugh. They argue like proper little teenagers. 'They're both like jealous of each other and it's like, 'Oh shut up you two!' They are funny together, they're like a little married couple.' Katie then spoke about her parenting rules for the couple, saying she was 'easygoing' because she remembers how she was at their age. However, Princess' dad Peter Andre has admitted he was 'struggling' with the news that his daughter was dating and told Woman magazine: 'I'm not happy about this at all. I'm struggling beyond belief, but that's life. We've had many chats. I have very strict rules in my house.' He admitted: 'I had this rule that would never have a boyfriend until she was 38, and now she's 16 and she's talking about boys!'. Princess has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame in recent years and this month proudly revealed she's bought her first car with her own money. She's amassed more than 743,000 followers on her Instagram and has vowed to become a 'millionaire by the age of 20'. Princess has already signed big money deals with clothing and beauty brands including being an ambassador for high street chain Superdrug, Studio London, Morphe and Revolution. She made her modelling debut last year and is preparing to star in her own TV show for the first time. In 2024, Princess made her modelling debut with PrettyLittleThing after signing a four-figure deal with the brand. Her mother Katie started modelling at the age of 17 as a fresh-faced natural beauty. Since her first brand deal, Princess has gone on to attend events work work with other fashion and beauty brands including White Fox and Boots.
Daily Mail
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Is Marks & Spencer's Wimbledon-inspired strawberry and cream sarnie a Grand Slam... or a total flop? We try the sandwich everyone is talking about to find out
One major British institution has paid homage to another, as Marks & Spencer has released a strawberry and cream sandwich just in time for Wimbledon - but is it a Grand Slam or a total flop? Celebrating the traditional summer treat, the UK supermarket has unveiled a limited edition sweet snack, inspired by Japanese 'sweet sandos'. Retailing for £2.90 at the High Street Kensington branch, the shop opted for brioche-style sweet bread, filled with soft cheese and crème freche that housed full, decadent slices of its curated Red Diamond strawberries. And sampling the fruity snack, FEMAIL awarded it a full three points. With a sandwich where ingredients are minimal, quality is key - and M&S more than delivers on that front. On first bite, I was wowed by how fresh and richly sweet the berries were, cutting through the creamy barrier with a fragrant tang. The specially grown variety, provided by 'trusted M&S Select Farms' are 'left to ripen for longer to ensure they're deliciously sweet and juicy', proving their prowess in not just their huge size but juicy crimson red hue. The supermarket isn't stingy either, offering a solid spread of three big strawberry halves. Elsewhere the cream mixture - thickened by the addition of cheese - added an icing-like feel to the sandwich whereas as the sweet bread resembled a cakey sponge. The offering felt more like a dessert than a sarnie - and was presented more like one - so expect to fill up on the sugary flavours. While the sweet treat is certainly filling, I did notice that it sat heavy in my stomach for the rest of the day, and I wasn't able to finish it all. Strawberries and cream are a quintessentially refreshing two-ingredient snack; so adding another carb element to it certainly made the meal feel more staunch. The only thing I felt it was lacking was a third addition - perhaps a new texture like a runny jam or a crunchy smattering of sprinkles. It's also not one you can nibble on throughout the day. Within a few hours, the remnants of my sandwich started sagging and falling apart. And M&S isn't the only brand to offer a Wimbledon-themed treat; American restaurant Subway is offering free strawberry and cream sandwiches for one day only. Selected locations will give away subs to fans on Monday 30th June 2025. Lighter and less sweet than the cakey M&S sandwich, strawberry slices, clotted creme and a fruity puree are laid out on savoury Italian white bread. While the ingredients don't feel as flavourful as the UK supermarket's, Subway offers a more delicate treat that doesn't settle as intensely. The creme mixture is less decadent, but allows for a more relaxed and moreish snack. Each participating Subway restaurant will have 100 6-inch Strawberries & Cream Subs to give away on its single day debut; in the below locations: Wimbledon (6/6A Hartfield Road), Birmingham (80 Smallbrook, Queensway), Liverpool (Central Shopping Centre), Derby (Pride Park) and Bristol (Galleries Food Court). Marks & Spencer announced the release of their product - inspired by Japanese fruit sandwiches which originated as fruit shops opened near major train stations and business districts in the early 1900s - earlier this week. As these businesses grew, many began to open cafes to allow the public to access luxury fruits at a reasonable by incorporating them into dishes such as parfaits, shortcakes and sandwiches. M&S said that while its latest creation may be mistaken for a dessert, shoppers will find it in the regular savoury sandwich section. It added the sandwiches were available to purchase in stores now, with some customers claiming to have already tried it. Lighter and less sweet than the cakey M&S sandwich, strawberry slices, clotted creme and a fruity puree are laid out on savoury Italian white bread One person rated it a '100000/10' and said it was the 'best sandwich ever' while commenting on M&S' Instagram account. Another said: ''I have tried this already and it is berry berry good.' A third penned: 'Where are my car keys!!!! I need to get this NOW.' A fourth commented: 'I might have to treat myself to one on the way to work tomorrow,' while another compared it to 'cake on the go'. M&S said: 'Inspired by the Japanese sweet sandos, recently spotted popping up in London 's trendiest Japanese patisseries, our product developers have long dreamed of creating a dessert sandwich. 'With our exclusive Red Diamond Strawberries at their juiciest best, the time has finally come to create the ultimate strawberries and creme experience.' M&S is saying its strawberries and cream sandwich is ideal for 'alfresco lunches, afternoon tea at home, summer picnics, courtside snack breaks or a sweet afternoon pick me up'. M&S Food first sold freshly made sandwiches in the 1920s, and expanded sales with pre-packed sandwiches in the 1980s. The retailer's food halls have sold four billion sandwiches to date. One person rated it a '100000/10' and said it was the 'best sandwich ever' while commenting on M&S' Instagram account Strawberries and cream are a popular British dessert often enjoyed in the summer months when the fruit is in season in the UK. The combination is thought to date back to the Tudor era, where dishes of strawberries and cream would be served at Henry VIII's royal banquets. It has also been made popular after being served at Wimbledon every year and is a popular snack with spectators. Wimbledon announced are raising the price of their world famous strawberries and cream for the first time in 15 years. The All England Club have taken great pride in freezing the price of strawberries at £2.50 per portion since 2010, but Mail Sport can reveal that will increase by 20p for 2025. A spokesperson for the All England Club commented, 'We have taken the decision to slightly increase the price of strawberries this year from £2.50 to £2.70. 'We feel this modest increase still ensures that our world-famous strawberries are available at a very reasonable price.' With tournament running costs increasing every year, the price hike shows even Wimbledon is not immune to the cost of living crisis. The club sell around 140,000 punnets per year, meaning the new price will bring in an extra £28,000. At £2.70 the event's iconic snack is easily the best value food on site. Wimbledon is also one of the very few sporting events which allows fans to bring in their own food and drink - including alcohol - so visitors on a budget can always bring in their own strawberries. They would not be as fresh as those served up at Wimbledon, however, who only serve strawberries picked that morning and shipped in from the family-run Hugh Lowe Farm in Kent.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Axed Love Island bombshells break silence after mass dumping and say TWO couples in the villa ‘won't last'
IT WAS an explosive night on Love Island, which saw FOUR Islanders get dumped from the villa. Now two bombshells have had their say on the current couples in the villa, and have claimed TWO of them "won't last". 5 5 5 5 The foursome were dumped after Helena, Dejon, Emily and Remell had to decide whether to couple up with one of the bombshells or stick with their villa couple. Sadly this meant four people were sent packing, and they were new Islanders Poppy, Caprice, and Will - Shea in the main villa was also dumped as Helena chose new boy Giorgio. Now the axed Islanders have been having their say, following their shock exit. Dumped Will, who was one of the new bombshells, gave his take on how he thought Helena and his pal Giorgio will work out in the villa. Speaking to ITV, he said: "I think they get on well, it's early days but I'd be surprised if they were to last." Shea then echoed this when he was asked the same question about Dejon and Meg, after he chose to stay with her in last night's recoupling. "It's a bit different with them, I'm not too sure if it's going to last," the dumped hunk said. "Just from what I was seeing it's a bit one sided from Meg's side. "Only time will tell." Love Island fans rant 'get her out' as they accuse villa girl of 'faking' her tears BRUTAL DUMPING Last night's nail biting episode saw Maya Jama enter the sleepover villa and reveal that four Islanders faced the chop. In a shock twist, the stunning host told Helena, Dejon, Emily and Remell that they had to decide if they wanted to stick in their current couple or recouple with a bombshell. In the end, only Helena decided to recouple and opted to go back with Giorgio. Dejon decided to stick with Meg, despite kissing Caprice during his time at the sleepover villa. 5 Remell hesitated but chose to stick with Alima, even though he told Poppy earlier he felt different with her and they shared a snog. That left Emily, who opted to stay with Conor- unaware of his growing connection with Megan back in the main villa - over new boy Will. As a result, Shea, Poppy, Caprice and Will were all sent home. Love Island continues at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX. Love Island 2025 full lineup Harry Cooksley: A 30-year-old footballer with charm to spare. Shakira Khan: A 22-year-old Manchester-based model, ready to turn heads. Megan Moore: A payroll specialist from Southampton, looking for someone tall and stylish. Alima Gagigo: International business graduate with brains and ambition. Tommy Bradley: A gym enthusiast with a big heart. Helena Ford: A Londoner with celebrity connections, aiming to find someone funny or Northern. Ben Holbrough: A model ready to make waves. Megan Clarke: An Irish actress already drawing comparisons to Maura Higgins. Dejon Noel-Williams: A personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, following in his footballer father's footsteps. Aaron Buckett: A towering 6'5' personal trainer. Conor Phillips: A 25-year-old Irish rugby pro. Antonia Laites: Love Island's first bombshell revealed as sexy Las Vegas pool party waitress. Yasmin Pettet: The 24-year-old bombshell hails from London and works as a commercial banking executive. Malisha Jordan: A teaching assistant from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, who entered Love Island 2025 as a bombshell. Emily Moran: Bombshell Welsh brunette from the same town as Love Island 2024 alumni Nicole Samuel. Shea Mannings: Works as a scaffolder day-to-day and plays semi-pro football on the side. Remell Mullins: Boasts over 18million likes and 500k followers on TikTok thanks to his sizzling body transformation videos. Harrison Solomon: Pro footballer and model entering Love Island 2025 as a bombshell. Departures: Kyle Ashman: Axed after an arrest over a machete attack emerged. He was released with no further action taken and denies any wrongdoing. Sophie Lee: A model and motivational speaker who has overcome adversity after suffering life-changing burns in an accident. Blu Chegini: A boxer with striking model looks, seeking love in the villa.
