A Churchwarden of Maker with Rame Parish has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Peter Lavers receives Cross of St Piran Award in 2015

Mr Ronald Peter Lavers (known as Peter) has served as a member of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) since 1992 and as a Churchwarden and Vice Chairman of the PCC since 2005.

As well as being a diligent churchwarden and churchman of many years, he uses his skills and talents to create objects ofvalue for inside and outside the church. For example, he has made church notice boards, chests for vestments and alter frontals to be stored, ramps for wheelchair users and coffin biers (making access easier for services or staging concerts.) He does all this with no charge to the church or local community.

His work does not end there. Mr Lavers also takes the time to tend to the churchyards of the three churches of the parish and even digs the cremated remains plots when required.

Father Michael Brown, from the Maker with Rame parish elaborates:

“Everything that he does, or turns his hands to, he does so with a smile on this face and with great enthusiasm.”

In March 2015, Mr Lavers was awarded the Cross of St Piran by the Right Revd Tim Thornton, Bishop of Truro.

Mr Lavers describes his surprise at receiving the medal:

“The award came as a complete surprise to me and I feel very proud and humble to have had my name put forward.  I have to say the award is as much for my wife Margaret as for me. We have been happily married for 64 years and we have two grown up grand daughters and a great grandson.

I have lost count of the years I have been churchwarden for the parish of Maker with Rame, well over 20 years but I do still enjoy the work and the challenges!

To receive the British Empire Medal after receiving the Cross of St. Piran from Bishop Tim is indeed an honour.”

 

Father Michael Brown described Mr Lavers as “a faithful servant of the Parish of Maker with Rame. His daily life before and especially in his retirement revolves around helping his neighbours and his community, wherever he can, especially those with some special need of their own.”

“He is also one of the quietest people that I know who also has one of the most wonderful sense of humour and a large smile. It makes him a very lovely person to have around.”

Mr Lavers trained as a shipwright and worked his way up to becoming the Managing of Mashfords Boatyard, Cremyll.