Hitchin women dressed in a variety of national costumes as part of the Women’s World Day of Prayer on Friday.

The service at the New Testament Church of God on the corner of Hampden Road and Willian Road went ahead in spite of the snow, with the theme ‘All God’s Creation is Very Good’, written by the Christian women of Suriname in South America.

Women at the Hitchin service wore national costumes representing the various people who have settled in Suriname, which was a Dutch colony from 1667 to 1975.

The service highlighted the beauty of the world alongside the way humankind is polluting it – with rubbish wrappings thrown on the floor before everyone joined in tidying up, driving home the point about recycling.

The fact that snowy Hitchin felt a long way from sun-drenched Suriname didn’t stop everyone present from enjoying the Surinamese-themed refreshments on offer.