We saw this as a wider opportunity to work with our Church of England First School. With the year 3 and 4 teacher Mrs Annie Burson and Mrs Geraldine Canniford, ex teacher and artist,the children embarked on an art project. It began with a specially requested whole-school assembly on All Saints’ Day. Visiting Sherborne Abbey and meeting John Coleman the Iconographer, he showed us his work, explained about paints and mixing egg and water , telling us about saints we had never heard of before. In the days that followed the children drew their own ikons, learned to transfer the outline to hardboard which had been prepared in the parish, and to use their paints to write their ikons. The results were stunning; they were displayed in school and on Advent Sunday when, transferring Parish Eucharist to the evening, we invited children and parents to Porridge, Bacon butties etc and to advent ring- making and other activities, whilst letting a wider constituency see the children’s achievement. The School greatly encouraged parishioners with artist’s skills to work with the class, and for Clergy to come and see the progress each day.