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6 September 2009

Historic churches are always in need of money to carry out repairs and sometimes expensive restoration projects.

This takes place on the second Saturday in September each year.Ìý

The basic principle is that 50% of sponsorship money goes to the church or chapel chosen by the participant, with the other 50% going to the respective County Trust.

David Knowles of the Leicestershire and Leicestershire Historic Churches' Trust told us about this year's Ride 'n' Stride.

The ride started in Suffolk in 1982 and now around 30 counties take part every year.

Together the Trust has jointly raised in excess of £6.5 million - last year itÌý raised over £1 million.

The first Ride in Leicester and Leicestershire was held in 1990 and has been going strong ever since.

The total amount raised in Leicestershire now exceeds £525,650Ìý -Ìý half of this sum has been donated directly to churches and chapels nominated by participants while the other half has been given out by the Trust to churches and chapels that have applied for a grant.

Participants plan their own routes (which may cross county borders), with the assistance of each county's printed list of churches and chapels that are open on the day.

Riders and striders ask their relations, friends and colleagues to sponsor them - so much for each church or chapel they visit between 10:00 and 18:00 on the day, or a lump sum.Ìý

This is recorded on a special sponsor form, and participants can take part for as long or short a time, within the day, as is convenient for them.

Further details can be found on the Historic Churches Preservation Trust website:

http://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/

Illumination at Hallaton

There always seems to be something interesting going on in the village of Hallaton.

From next Saturday the parish church there, St. Michael and All Angels, will be filled with a colourful display of beautiful, illuminated initial letters copied from medieval manuscripts and blown up to many times the original size.

These are wonderful works of art which I'm sure will delight the eye.

And there are a number of events going on in the church whilst the exhibition is running.

Dennis Kenyon from Hallaton came in to tell us about the exhibition and brought in one or two of the colourful exhibits.

This is described as 'an exhibition of grotesques, kings and characters from the medieval imagination'Ìý and, as Dennis said, for all the artistry on display much of it is medieval doodling.

There are a number of events being mounted in connection with the exhibition including on Saturday 12th at 7.30pmÌý anÌý illustrated talk by Professor Michelle P Brown
Professor Brown was formerly Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts at the British Library and is Professor of Medieval Manuscript Studies, University of London.

Her talk will be entitled "Of Monsters and Men – Medieval Life in the Margins of the Luttrell Psalter.’

Ticket price: In advance £8.00 at door £10.00. This includes a glass of wine and finger buffet.

Further details: http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/hallaton/a-z-exhibition.html

Listen to the programme on Sundays between 06:00 and 09:00 on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Leicester, 104.9FM, DAB Digital Radio and on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Leicester website.