A new vicar is promising to have parishioners dancing up the aisles once lockdown is over.

Among the Rev Mark Borley's many talents is jive dancing and if he gets his way he will soon have the congregation of Hoo St Werburgh following in his footsteps.

Mark, who moved to the village two weeks, took up the cloth with a strong belief that people should "realise their potential" and "live life to the full".

And the multi-talented 59-year-old cleric has certainly lived up to his mantra.

In his youth he played baseball at national league level, was a ski instructor and was a member of a Kent cricket club. He loves squash and tennis and still plays socially.

Ten years ago he was persuaded by a friend to go along to a dance session - and he was soon hooked.

He took up lessons at Dance Junction in Rochester and believes dancing is a great way of meeting different people and keeping fit.

His professional life has been equally as varied as his social life.

His first job was a biologist researching and teaching at the University of London before spending 11 years working in IT for the civil service in Hastings and for a financial company in Tunbridge Wells before getting the calling to go into the church in the mid 1990s.

Mark has come to Medway from a parish in Surrey on the borders of south west London and was previously at The Six parish church group covering an area between Rainham and Sittingbourne.

He said he was immediately drawn to Hoo because of the strong sense of community.

The vicar said: "You only have to walk around the village and everyone says hello. When I posted my arrival here on Facebook I got about 100 welcome messages."

Mark says he realises with the huge amount of development and new families relocating to the peninsula that he has a "challenge" on his hands.

He added: "It's a case of marrying the old with the new. Younger people will not want the same range of activities as older ones. I believe the church should be the focal point. We have an important role to play in community cohesion."

Since moving to the parish, Mark has found the lockdown restrictions frustrating in his bid to get to know people.

He said: "Some of those I would normally visit at their homes are shielding. I have been having chats from gardens and those who don't have gardens have come to mine."

Once "normal life" resumes he plans to introduce more activities and classes into the newly-refurbished church to add to the existing programmes of pilates, messy play, toddler sessions and concerts.

He said: "You never know, we might have a few Strictly Come Dancing classes."

Meanwhile if rules allow, Mark and his team are busy organising their summer fair in the church grounds on Saturday, August 1.

He said: "If shops can reopen, I'm sure we can arrange our stalls at a social distance."

And will the Rev Borley be getting in the groove for a surprise display of his jive moves?

"I hadn't thought of that. What a good idea," he replied.

Hoo St Werburgh Parish Church opened for the first time since lockdown for private prayer on Sunday. About 14 people came along spending about 10 minutes to reflect and light a candle.

Mark said: "It was important to reopen. For some it was a chance to just get out and see other people."

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