Wirral couples to renew wedding vows for Valentines Day

Feb 11 2009 by Carrie Catterall, Heswall News

LOVE will be in the air this Saturday as around 100 couples renew their wedding vows in a special celebration for St Valentine’s Day.

The love birds will gather at Christ Church, Bebington, on February 14, at 2pm, for Canon Anne Samuels’ ceremony.

Canon Samuels, who will be renewing her 36-year marriage on Saturday, said: “This time of year can be very gloomy.

“We wanted to cheer people up and remind them of love and romance.

“This is also the church’s 150th birthday, so the special service this weekend will be the first of many to come throughout the year.”

Jill and David Wright, of Poulton Road, Spital, are just one couple who have been invited to renew their marriage on Valentine’s Day.

When they met, Jill, 63, was divorced and David, 71, was widowed. Both thought they would be alone forever.

Jill said: “We were struggling in our separate lives and at a loss.

“But then we found each other at walking club and became friends.

“This friendship developed into a relationship and then into love.

“We got engaged on my 50th birthday.”

The Wrights were married 13 years ago and still believe that love changes everything.

Talented performer Tom Spence will be singing the Climie Fisher song on Saturday as the loved-up couple share their story.

Jill added: “The lyrics in this song mean a lot to us because the unexpected love we found in each other turned our world around.”

After the romantic ceremony the couples will share wine and cake with their friends and relatives.

Everybody named in the church’s wedding register in the last 20 years has been invited to Saturday’s celebrations, including Collette and Ian Millington who regularly attend Christ Church. The ceremony is open to everybody in the community.