CARING church members are spreading festive joy in the community with their Joyful Angels Project.

Parishioners of Port Glasgow New Parish Church are winging their way through the season of Advent.

The group of volunteers become messengers to bring tokens of goodwill to people at home who can't get out to church.

Greenock Telegraph:

Maureen Williams told how the project, which began during Covid, helps ease people's sense of isolation and loneliness.

Maureen said: "This is our third year of doing this. We started because a lot of church members couldn't come back to church because of Covid.

"We want people them to still feel feel included and give them small gifts on behalf of the church.

"It's been very popular and we have 12 volunteers this year.

"In the first week we deliver an angel, then the next week a candle and the last week we introduce 'the joyful angel' and hand in a Christmas card.

"It brightens up a lot of people's days, and they have contacted the church to tell us how good it is and makes them feel so happy."

Maureen says the gifts needn't be expensive, it is the thought behind them.

She added: "We ask people to give angels but it doesn't need to be anything expensive, it could be knitted, it's about the thought of giving."

Maureen, a church elder and pupil support assistant at Port Glasgow High School, said that the project is an extension of what the church, which celebrated its 200th anniversary this year, does.

She said: "It is a great church to be part of, and since William [Reverend William Boyle] came to the church it has gone from strength to strength.

"It's been a fantastic year. Port Glasgow New Parish Church seems to be bucking the trend with church membership as everyone wants to be part of the church.

"It's a family atmosphere."