THE ANNUAL clowns service in Dalston has been saved. Held for more than half a century at Holy Trinity church in Beechwood Road, the event will move a short distance to sister church All Saints.

And the Clowns’ Gallery collection is being given its own room in Holy Trinity Church rather than the small space into which the artefacts had to squeeze.

In March this year 2014 Loving Dalston revealed exclusively in a report that went around the world that Holy Trinity vicar the Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin had told Clowns International, the charity that organises the services, that building work would require the stumbling bumblers to pack up their museum by the end of April 2014.

They would not be able to return for at least two years.

She offered no suggestions of another venue for the commemoration of clowning’s father, Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837), that has grown so much in popularity it attracts tourists and news teams from as far away as Japan.

Now, however, the service is to be saved and the Rev Rose is to leave Holy Trinity.

Once spoken of as the leading candidate to be first woman bishop in the Church of England, she is believed to be heading for an inner London parish in November 2014.

She is also chaplain to the Queen and the Speaker of the House of Commons. In Hackney she has become known for her enthusiasm for the Trinity Centre, a charity at the church hall that offers childcare and family support.

The chaplain to the clowns, the Rev Roly Bain, a curate at Holy Trinity and himself one of the flat-footed, red-nose brigade, told Loving Dalston: “Clowns International remains very grateful for the continued hospitality and care shown to us by the congregation at Dalston.”

David Altheer 180814

* The next clowns’ church service will be at All Saints, corner Haggerston and Livermere roads, Hackney E8 4EZ, on Sunday 1 Feb 2015.

* Backstory: Red-nose service seeks a new stage ; Dalston’s clowns’ church vicar comes out fighting