Finals preparations are being made in south Essex for the arrival of a prestigious visitor tomorrow (Saturday).

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, is taking in Vange and Southend as part of his four-day tour of the Chelmsford diocese.

He was invited to visit the patch, which includes Essex and east London, to see a cross section of the areas.

He will make his first stop with his wife tomorrow at St Chad's Church, in Clay Hill Road, Vange, at about 3pm. There he will listen to a talk about the huge £25 million modernising scheme taking place on the Vange 3/4 estate.

Work is being carried out to improve the 700 homes and to create a close community to banish the estate's social problems.

After a tour of the estate and tea with the Rev David Eaton, the party will head off for Southend at about 6.20pm.

Mayor councillor Tony North will greet the guest before introducing him to a number of dignitaries including deputy mayor Graham Longley. After a buffet reception, the group will make its way around the Kursaal site with a talk on its history.

The Archbishop will take a look at the Bar 'n' Bus and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution before being shown the homeless night shelter in York Road.

A talk on Southend today and its hopes for the future will be given by the Round Table before the Archbishop gives the night prayer.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.