Vicar of Holy Island on a mission to turn the tide

Up to 800,000 people visit Holy Island each year.

Separated from mainland Northumberland by a tidal causeway, it is a place sacred to many for its beauty, wildlife and important place in Christian history.

But when the Reverend Canon Dr Sarah Hills arrived in 2019 she found a community with its struggles.

With an ageing and shrinking population, fewer than half the houses were permanently occupied and only two children attended its primary school.

"Lockdown and the absence of tourists gave us time to think," Dr Hills said, as she looked out to St Cuthbert's Island and the mainland from her vicarage next to St Mary's Church.

"We need the visitors, of course, but we also need the island to be a vibrant, sustainable place with affordable housing and jobs".

So, in 2022 and led by the vicar, a project called Holy Island 2050 was born.

It envisaged a different future for the island, one that would offer visitors a different experience.

"People arrive on the island and wander around, but how easy is it for them to learn about the island, its incredible history and its unique flora and fauna":[]}