Church gets into the winter spirit

WINTER warmer . . . Church Inn barmaid Lucy Donkersley serves ‘Holy Spirit soup’ to members of Saddleworth Church choir outside St Chad’s Parish Church

Kind-hearted chef Pauline Schofield has taken pity on a chilly church choir by serving them surprise bowls of home-made soup.

Freezing members of St Chad’s Parish Church choir call at the ancient Church Inn, which stands in hills above Uppermill, after Sunday service for a drink and a chat around the pub’s cosy wood-burning fires.

“But I noticed some of the choir, particularly the older ones, looked really cold when they come to the pub,” said Pauline.

“The church itself is centuries old and I know the heating can be a problem at this time of the year — so I decided to put a surprise sparkle by creating a robust broth from my own recipe.”

Pauline’s creation, dubbed “Holy Spirit” by grateful choristers, includes beef, bacon, onion, paprika, beef stock, parsley, dumplings — and a dash of dry sherry.

“It’s certainly put some colour into the choir’s cheeks,” she said with a smile. “A couple of them actually asked for more.”

Barrie Williams, who has been a singer at the church for 50 years, said: “The church building itself is so high up on the hillside that heating can be a problem.

“Sometimes it can get really draughty round your ankles — despite wearing full length cassocks.”

The choir’s director of music, Dr Eileen Bentley MBE, said: “Pauline’s soup was a real livener.

“We do get draughts round the choir stalls and it can get very cold particularly if we have a sudden downturn in the weather or a severe cold snap.”

Scots-born 87-year-old Saddleworth parish councillor, Robert Birse, who has sung in the choir for many years, said: “Pauline’s soup is a tonic — ideal on a very cold day.”

Pub landlord Julian Taylor said: “I know the church itself can be very cold sometimes so it’s nice to know Pauline’s soup really is a cup that cheers.”