FOUR long-serving and loyal members of the diocese of Salisbury have been recognised for their hard work and dedication to the Church.

The Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Revd Dr David Stancliffe, awarded the Aldhelm Cross to Robert Allan, Chris Dragonetti, Sara Jacson and David Smart during a special service of Evensong at Salisbury Cathedral earlier this month.

The Bishop created the Aldhelm Cross award in 2005. It is normally presented to three or four lay people on a date near All Saints’ Day, when the Church remembers the millions of unsung saints throughout the ages.

Robert Allan has been treasurer of the Dorset Historic Churches Trust for the past 19 years and Chris Dragonetti has just retired after serving as the diocesan accountant for 22 years.

Sara Jacson was an area co-ordinator for Dorset for the Bishop’s certificate course, having taught it for 15 years. She also led the monthly service at St Thomas’s Church, Melbury Abbas, as well as a number of other roles in the Dorset area.

David Smart has been treasurer of the Sherborne Deanery for more than 25 years and has been on Diocesan Synod for many years.

Dr Stancliffe said: “St Aldhelm established the Christian faith in Dorset and Wiltshire not by preaching at people, but by living among them and using his talents to enrich and change their lives. These four recipients of the Aldhelm Cross are worthy successors in the way they too have used their gifts and gone the extra miles over many years to serve others in God’s name and draw the best out of them.”