Worshippers in a village near Bicester have something warm to kneel on when they say their prayers, thanks to the completion of a project to make new church hassocks.
After seven years and thousands of stiches, a team of volunteers has embroidered more than 120 hassocks, or kneelers, for St Mary's Church in Launton, along with two chair cushions.
The idea for the new hassocks came from Daphne Bellman, a former churchwarden at St Mary's and a retired headteacher of the village primary school.
Miss Bellman said: "The old plastic hassocks were cold to kneel on.
"I thought we could do with some new ones that were warmer and colourful."
The project started in 1999 when she obtained the backing of the church council and held a meeting appealing for volunteer sewers.
The idea of making long kneelers for people taking communion at the altar rail is still under discussion.
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