Karen Neale painting prompts community event at All Saints’ Church in Stamford

A painting that captures a view of one church from the tower of another is helping to support a new job.

Stamford artist Karen Neale was commissioned to create the scene by Fr Neil Shaw, rector at All Saints’ Church in Stamford’s All Saints’ Place.

Karen then went up the tower of St John’s Church, on the other side of Red Lion Square, for a bird’s eye view of All Saints’ Church, High Street and Broad Street.

Once the painting was completed, people were invited to buy raffle tickets for a chance to win it, with the winning ticket drawn at a social evening in All Saints’ Church on Saturday (June 10).

Karen said: “It was a really wonderful evening – more than 70 people came along to enjoy drinks and nibbles.

“It was lovely – very informal and all about being part of a community.”

Fr Neil added that the idea behind the commission was to build community links, as well as having a new image of All Saints’ Church for people to enjoy.

“All Saints is surrounded by the town – something that’s shown by Karen in the painting – and we want to engage more with the community around us through events like this.

“The sale of tickets have helped to raise hundreds of pounds, and prints of Karen’s painting, and cards, will now be on sale from our Friday coffee bar at the church, helping to raise more money.

“We are about to recruit a youth and children’s worker for the church, and so the income will help to support this role.”

Winner of Karen Neale’s painting was Matt Bird.