Methodist preacher Mr Leonard Smith and his wife Beatrice celebrate their golden wedding anniversary today with a family gathering at home.

The couple met as young Sunday school teachers at Rushden Park Road Methodist Church – which both still attend regularly.

They were married at the church and Mr Smith is still a steward there. Apart from his duties at the town church, he also leads services each month for village congregations in the Higham Ferrers Methodist circuit.

“Of course pulling together and remembering to give and take are important in a marriage, but we feel that our church life has helped us a great deal,” said Mrs Smith.

They have two daughters, Mrs Joyce Bugby, of High Street, Rushden, and Mrs Gillian Hicks, of Mannings Rise, and four grandsons.

Mr Smith retired in 1972 from Allebone’s shoe factory in Rushden. He had earlier worked as a collector for the gas board, and at Cave’s shoe factory office.

Mr and Mrs Smith, both 74, live in Park Avenue, Rushden, and enjoy playing the piano and needlework. Mrs Smith’s hobby is creating patchwork articles, while her husband does embroidery.