A WORKINGTON church will honour two of their ‘most beloved’ members, with a special service marking their lives with a performance from their son.

The events to mark the bicentenary of St John’s Church, Workington begin with a concert, which will be both a celebration and a commemoration.

Two of the churches ‘most beloved’ members Gareth Evans and his wife Pat Evans of High Brigham, near Cockermouth died in a crash on the A66 near Workington on Monday, February 13.

Pat had taught generations of youngsters through school and Gareth worked at Sellafield; both were very keen bell ringers and all the churches of Cumbria and further afield knew them well.

At the time of their death The Very Revd Dr Frances E F Ward paid tribute to the couple who were 'involved in everything' within the church community, including most specially the 200 years celebration as St John's.

On Saturday, September 16 there is a concert at 7pm at which Pat and Gareth’s son, Richard, will play with his friends.

Richard is a professional musician, and together with four others, he will play a great programme of pieces, interspersed with short memories of Pat and Gareth by friends and colleagues.

The Very Revd Dr Frances Ward said: “The Brass Quintet is a close-knit group of musicians, all of whom are long term friends of Richard. They frequently collaborate in various musical settings across London.

“Individually, these talented musicians are familiar faces in the vibrant West End scene and have graced the stages of renowned orchestras like the BBC Symphony and London Symphony. They’ve even taken their talents on the road, performing alongside pop sensation Becky Hill.”

Their upcoming concert promises is set to be a ‘musical journey that spans centuries’ and genres and includes a number of Pat and Gareth’s favourites.

St John’s Church, Workington is 200 years old this Autumn. It was consecrated on Sunday 27 November 1823 to mark the victory at Waterloo in 1815.

Tickets: £10 a head, available on the door or from David Pearson, church warden, on request at djpearson50@gmail.com For further details of events over the Autumn, contact The Very Revd Dr Frances Ward fefward@gmail.com