Strict COVID restrictions have eased at Boneham Aged Care Services in Millicent which means residents can again enjoy their thrice-weekly outings via bus.

Visits to the Southend beach and a Millicent supermarket are always popular.

Another bus trip with a difference on Friday afternoon was to St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church in Millicent.

A service of Holy Communion was led by Millicent/Penola parish priest Father Lyndon Sulzberger and was followed by an afternoon tea in the church hall comprising tasty treats baked by parishioners.

The service had all the traditional elements including hymns, a sermon, bell ringing and a Holy Bible reading by Boneham resident Pat Richardson.

She undertakes this role each month when Father Lyndon conducts a service in the Diva Room at Boneham Age Care Services.

“I am aged 90-and-a-half,” Ms Richardson proudly said.

Mobility issues prompted the widowed Ms Richardson to leave her Millicent home several years ago and move to Boneham.

She relished the opportunity to again worship at St Michael’s where she had previously given long and devoted service as a parish councillor and pastoral assistant.

Along with Edna Bateman (now deceased) and Margaret Bitter (now living in Lyndoch), Ms Richardson had been the first female pastoral assistant appointed at St Michael’s.

This occurred in 1996 and ended 120 years of male-only pastoral assistants.

Ms Richardson still wears her pastoral assistant’s badge of office to services.

The visit to St Michael’s was made possible by the assistance of Boneham lifestyle coordinator Deb Cavanagh and two Boneham carers.

There are hopes the visit to the church can be staged every second month.

In the meantime, the next Anglican service in the Diva Room at Boneham will be at 1.30pm on March 3.