A church fundraising campaign has courted controversy – by displaying a logo with a naked bottom.
The Rev Simon Crook, curate at Huddersfield Parish Church, has set up Pew Runners, a group of parishioners who are taking part in a series of half-marathons to raise up to £5,000 to pay for new ‘pewrunners’ – padded fabric that runs along the length of the pews to make them more comfortable to sit on.
They will take part in the Snowdonia Half Marathon on Sunday (May 12) followed by the Humber Bridge Half Marathon in June and a relay half-marathon around the perimeter of the parish church and St Peter’s Gardens in July.
But a logo to promote the Pew Runners – showing a sketch of a naked backside and the strapline “Raising money for bottoms in Huddersfield” – has received a mixed reaction on Facebook with some questioning whether it is appropriate.
Posting on the Marsden – A Local Place for Local People page, Elizabeth Foden called the logo “appalling” and asked: “How is using the logo of a bare bottom acceptable? She added: “Whilst I hope the Huddersfield Pew Runners campaign to put ‘bums on seats’ is successful, I deplore the use of such an appalling logo.”
Her comments drew dozens of responses online with one person noting: “It is a very odd choice of logo, it has to be said.”
But others said they did not find it offensive.
One wrote: “Clearly this is a few amateur well intentioned people who want to make it a tad more comfortable for visitors. Not a central Church of England campaign with the benefit of an advertising budget. Think you need keep things in perspective. Hope they succeed in making Huddersfield bums more comfy.”
Another posted: “Think this so-called concern is just a storm in a teacup. People are much too ready to take offence these days.”
While one said: “Surely it shows the C of E has a sense of humour?”
Responding on Facebook, Simon wrote: “Point taken. However, I think the picture is abstract enough that it should not cause offence. There are paintings and sculptures of naked cherubs in many churches.”
Simon said the logo was simply to make the point that sitting on wooden pews was uncomfortable.
The existing pewrunners were about 100 years old and “falling apart.”
Simon added: “The new ones aren’t simply for people who go to church services. We have lots of people who drop in throughout the day for a moment of quiet or to say a prayer or to seek help or because they are homeless and want to get out of the rain. We want to raise enough money for new pewrunners that will last another 100 years.”
