Rainbow of hand prints at Newport church

A RAINBOW has appeared in St John the Baptist Church in Newport, Barnstaple! The colourful community rainbow comprising 500 hand prints has been inspired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a picture of it will soon be winging its way to him in South Africa.

A RAINBOW has appeared in St John the Baptist Church in Newport, Barnstaple!

The colourful community rainbow comprising 500 hand prints has been inspired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a picture of it will soon be winging its way to him in South Africa.

It has been put together by a church team led by Naomi Jefferies and Helen Niemiec, wife of the Vicar, the Rev Paul Niemiec.

Helen explained that the idea had come from reading Archbishop Tutu's book, God's Dream, which referred to people all being part of the rainbow of life - a multi-cultural community - and contained a picture of a rainbow of hand prints surrounded by children of all races.

The Newport church's depiction includes the hand prints of people who have visited it in recent weeks and includes members of the congregation, church groups, the Mother's Union, youth club, Sunday school, Brownies and Rainbows and pupils from Park School and Newport Primary and Nursery Schools. It includes prints from the hands of people ranging in age from just a few months to over 90 years.

Bishop Michael Langrish blessed the rainbow when he visited Newport and Bishop Tawton churches to preach at Patronal Festivals.