Faith

At 19 Matt is shouldering a job normally reserved for a more mature Christian.

He and Colin, his fellow warden, are responsible for ensuring that St Mary the Virgin Church in Newstead is well maintained.

Too young

Technically Matt is too young to be a full church warden. According to the Church of England rules you have to be 21 to take it on.

But the Bishop of Sherwood, Tony Porter, made an exception, calling it a training position, because without Matt's support the church might have closed.

Eighteen months ago the congregation had dipped to six people and the priest Reverend Liz Turner-Loisel called a meeting.

"I was desperate [but] within two weeks [the community] had come up with a plan. God sent the right people at the right time."

Saved!

Numbers have grown to about 30, which isn't bad for a small village like Newstead.

As far as Matt's concerned, keeping the church going has become a real community effort.

"It means a lot to everyone. Even those who don't come to church chipped in when they realised it was about to close."

New hope

St Mary's was built in the 1920s by miners with land given to them by local landowners.

Although the pits shut in the 1980s Reverend Liz Turner-Loisel believes that thanks to Matt and his friends the future for the church is more promising.