A group of amateur singers has been reminding elderly patients, who live with debilitating conditions, of happier times.

The Wilderspool Warblers, from St John’s United Reformed Church, Warrington, volunteer their time to visit care homes once a month, singing old-time and other well-known songs to residents.

Sadly, some of the residents have severe dementia which prevents them engaging in conversations but that does not prevent a familiar song from putting a smile on their faces.

The United Reformed Church has produced two easily downloadable booklets to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War. The booklets, available in both English and German, were a collaboration between the United Reformed Church and the Evangelische Kirche der Pfalz (Protestant churches of the Palatinate region of Germany).

One hundred years after the First World War: Looking back, looking forward and its companion booklet, Accompanying worship material on the theme, offer a rich resource of reflections, stories, poems and hymns designed to help churches, small groups and individuals mark the approaching centenary of the end of the First World War.

A United Reformed Church minister was elected one of three presidents of the General Assembly of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) in Switzerland, last week.

The Revd Dr John Bradbury, Minister of Duxford URC, Duxford, Downing Place and Whittlesford LEP, all in Cambridgeshire, will serve for six years alongside Professor Miriam Rose, Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Jena, and the Revd Dr Gottfried Locher, President of the Council of the Swiss Federation of Churches, who was appointed Executive President.