Six people from Cumbria have been awarded Maundy money in recognition of their Christian service to church and community.

The group were among 76 men and 76 women - equal to the age of His Majesty King Charles III – to be presented with the money by the monarch at Durham Cathedral on Maundy Thursday.

The Diocese of Carlisle recipients included Sandra Edwards from Egremont, Rosalie McAndrew from St Bees, Doug McDevitte from Beckermet, Nicholas Monk from Coniston, Barbara Pilon from Barrow-in-Furness, and Alan Webb from Whitehaven.

Sandra Edwards worships at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Egremont and helped support and promote the town’s ecumenical Churches Together group for a number of years. The 71-year-old moved to the town with her husband, John, in 1979, and at church she has been a Reader, a teacher for children’s first Holy Communion and Confirmation and treasurer. She also acted as county treasurer for the women’s Royal British Legion and during Covid supported those who were isolated as well as helping set up a Warm Space in the town.

She said: “The day was really overwhelming. I was so humbled to be nominated as I thought there were far more people deserving of this honour than me.”

Rosalie McAndrew has attended St Bees Priory since 1976 after she and her husband moved to the seaside village from Dundee. The 80-year-old has held various roles at the Priory including churchwarden, Christian Aid organiser and Deanery Synod representative and helped set up a Sunday School which she also led. She has also been Chair of Friends of the Priory, parish magazine editor and lay worship leader.

Rosalie said: “It was a wonderful day full of ceremony and processions. To receive the money personally from King Charles was a particular highlight; he was so sincere, clasping my hands and thanking me for what I’ve done for the church and community.”

Doug McDevitte, aged 83, had more than 40 years’ association with Egremont and District Churches Together as Chair and Treasurer. He moved to Cumbria in 1962 from Belfast, marrying his wife, Linda, in 1964 and worshipping at Thornhill Methodist Chapel from 1964 and then Egremont Methodist Church from 1994. The Methodist local preacher worked at Sellafield for 35 years.

He said: “We got an envelope through one day with Buckingham Palace written on it. I didn’t know what to do with it initially but then we opened it. I couldn’t believe that I’d been nominated. We had a lovely family get together on the day which was full of pageant. It was wonderful.”

Nicholas Monk, 79, has been involved with his local churches – St Andrew’s Coniston and St Luke’s Torver – since 1991 and is churchwarden for both. He moved to Coniston in the late 1980s having worked in shipping and oil in the Middle East for nearly 30 years. Nicholas has also acted as treasurer for the joint PCC as well as being a sidesperson and is a church representative on the village hall committee.

He said: “Everything went extremely well on the day; the service and Cathedral were excellent. When we arrived at our hotel the day before we were helped with our cases by a man who it turned out was Graham Usher, the Bishop responsible for the Maundy service. We chatted with him and explained where we were from, so when the King handed me the Maundy money the bishop explained that I was from Coniston and he said he knew it well.”

Barbara Pilon, 74, has given years of service to St Francis church in Barrow-in-Furness, having attended when it was first built in 1955. Though she moved away from the town to work in Canada, upon her return she went back to St Francis where she has been a churchwarden and treasurer. The former auxiliary nurse – who worked in home settings and in a hospice – attended the Cathedral service with her husband, Richard.

She said: “I’ve been floating on a cloud ever since the service. I still can’t believe that I was nominated and was presented to the King who was such a lovely person. I was ecstatic to be nominated. I kept asking myself, ‘What have I done to deserve this?’.”

Former postmaster Alan Webb from Whitehaven has immersed himself in the life of the town’s St James and St Nicholas churches since 2012. The 73-year-old who ran Frizington Post Office for 15 years before retiring has served two terms as churchwarden and sits on the Parochial Church Council.

He said: “The Cathedral was full, and the service was so uplifting and encouraging. There was a very large choir and when they sang it felt as if the roof would come off! It was an honour to be there.”

The tradition of the sovereign giving money dates from the thirteenth century. Each recipient is given two leather purses – one containing coinage worth £5.50 in lieu of food and clothing and the second contains silver Maundy coins, the same number of pence as the sovereign’s age.

Maundy Thursday commemorates the day of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, with the word ‘Maundy’ coming from Christ’s command or ‘mandatum’ to love one another.

The Acting Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev Rob Saner-Haigh, said: “I am thrilled that everyone representing our Diocese had such a wonderful time at Durham Cathedral. The ways in which they serve their churches and communities is to be celebrated and I’m delighted that they were able to be honoured in this way.”

Notes for editors

For more information on Maundy Money visit http://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/maundy-money.

Pic caption:

Group picture from the left: Doug McDevitte, Sandra Edwards, Nicholas Monk and Alan Webb.

Single picture of Rosalie McAndrew and single picture of Barbara Pilon.

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For further information contact Dave Roberts, Diocesan Head of Communications, on 07469 153658 or at communications@carlislediocese.org.uk.