Heartbroken tributes have been paid to a woman described as ‘the true spirit of what a church should be’.
Helen Wyatt MBE passed away surrounded by her family on December 28. The wife of a vicar, he and her husband were known for their selfless work in making St Paul with Christ Church in Pendleton a haven for locals who had fallen on hard times.
In 2022, the pair were awarded an MBE for their services to homeless people and to the community of Salford. Under Canon Wyatt MBE and Helen, the church ran a night shelter offering a hot meal, washing facilities and a bed for the night and would also arrange holidays for children to Anglesey and the Lake District.
The pair were married for over 50 years. And during the pandemic they once again put themselves on the frontline, handing out food parcels to those in need.
The following year, Canon and Helen left the church when they both retired after years of service.
Canon Wyatt took charge of the Church of St Paul in 1968
(Image: Joel Goodman)
Jane Gregory, runs the Salford Survivors Project, a scheme that aims to support victims of domestic abuse in the city. Starting the charity in 2013, Jane said she often worked closely with Helen and Canon and would send people to Helen and Canon for help.
“Helen was lovely, just a really nice person.” Jane told the MEN.
“Not judgemental and she put you at ease. An extremely kind person and you don’t come across many people like that very often.
“They never turned anyone away. They were the true spirit of what a church should be. Homeless people would sleep inside the church, you could go there and they would help you.
“Them leaving the precinct was a massive loss, because no matter where you go in Salford everyone knew Mr and Mrs Wyatt. People don’t go to church anymore but they went there.”