Newchurchpath is a tribute to treasurer Lyn
A COMMEMORATIVE church path has been completed with a tribute to the woman who made the novel walkway a reality.
Aston Flamville church treasurer Lyn Wilson launched a scheme last year to replace a worn-out hardsurfaced walkway between the lychgate and St Peter’s church porch with a newlypaved path.
To help raise funds for the £13,200 scheme, people were invited to commission specially-engraved bricks to be laid along the route commemorating special occasions such as births, weddings and anniversaries.
Together with the help of a £2,000 grant from Blaby District Council, the buy-abrick scheme helped to cover all but £1,500 of the costs.
Poignantly, the last brick to be laid was one commemorating Mrs Wilson herself, who died in June this year just as the work was nearing completion.
It reads: “Happy Memories of Lyn Wilson The inspiration behind this pathway”.
Her husband, churchwarden Robin Wilson said: “Lyn’s wish was for the pathway to be a celebration of life, not just a memorial to death.
“Whilst the new pathway has been laid incorporating the engraved bricks subscribed for to-date, people can still subscribe for new bricks to add their piece of history to the pathway, which we plan to update twice a year.”
The engraved blocks, which could be bought as Christmas presents, cost from £40 for a single brick with two lines of script, up to £70 for a double size brick with four lines of script.
One Burbage resident bought sufficient bricks to record his family tree back to 1472.
When she launched the scheme last year Mrs Wilson said: “St Peter’s Pathway is designed to leave long-lasting memories for people to have a little piece of this church designated to them and to add to the church’s long history.
“We are really excited about this project and would encourage people from Aston, Burbage, Hinckley, Leicestershire and beyond to leave their mark for future generations.”
Many now regard the path as her legacy.
Laid by Ultimate Landscapes Ltd from Countesthorpe with engraved bricks supplied by EngraveBricks Ltd from West Sussex, it adds a 21st century chapter the story of the church, which is believed to date from the 900s and was originally the mother church to St Catherine’s in Burbage.
Anyone wishing to commission a commemorative brick to add to Aston Flamville’s church path is asked to either email robin.wilson14@btinternet.com or to call Hinckley 230104.