AN Alcester couple who recently celebrated their golden wedding will now hold a special harvest festival to commemorate the gift of marriage.

Reverend John Cook and his wife, Daphne, will be inviting couples and those now single through bereavement or divorce to join them and give thanks.

Daphne’s lifelong commitment to the Mothers’ Union, which promotes and protects marriage and family life, gave her the idea for the Harvest of Marriage celebration.

Daphne said: “We don’t celebrate marriage enough and I thought this was an opportunity to reflect, give thanks and celebrate.

“The one thing we say to each other every day is ‘I love you’.

“The marriage service does not ask ‘do you love him or her?’, because that is taken for granted, but ‘will you love them?’ and it is important to remember that.”

The pair married at St Laurence Church, Catford on September 12, 1964, after meeting at a conference for Christian students three years earlier.

John said: “If I wasn’t married I would be a different person because as a husband for 50 years, I have learned a lot from my wife and my attitude to some things has changed. I am the happiest husband in the world.”

They began married life in Camberley staying there for three years before moving to Singapore.

After returning ten years later to work in the parishes of Beoley and finally Bromsgrove they then retired to Newport Drive, Alcester in 2001.

Since retiring they have played an active part in parish life, John as a “pensioner priest” and Daphne as lay reader and continuing her work within the Mothers’ Union.

They also led marriage preparation courses for couples until earlier this year.

“The Lord has given us health and strength and for both of us [to do this work] it has been a great privilege”, added John.

They marked the milestone with their three children and six grandchildren.

The event will be held at St Nicholas Church in Alcester on Thursday, October 2 at 7.30pm.

Drinks and nibbles will be available after the service.