Five northern Church of England dioceses convened at Hadrian's Wall for a festival last weekend.

The Salt and Light Festival (June 14-15) was organised in collaboration with the dioceses of Newcastle, Carlisle, Durham, Leeds, and York.

The event included discussions on spiritual growth, economic hurdles, and idea exchange.

Opening the festival was Reverend Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Newcastle, at The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre.

The festival offered a platform for speakers and workshops to delve into the historical, spiritual, and socio-economic perspectives.

Key figures included Frances Ward, an author and theologian, Michelle Brown, a cultural historian and Patrick Laurie, a hill farmer and author.

Sally Shortall, the Duke of Northumberland chair of rural economy at Newcastle University also spoke.

Bishop Helen-Ann said: "I am extremely proud of our rural communities and the crucial role they play in the life of our region.

"The Church is often at the very heart of these communities, so it is important that we play an important part in helping ensure they survive and flourish, both spiritually and economically.

"Many of the challenges they face will be similar across our five dioceses, so this was a wonderful opportunity for us not only to celebrate these communities, but also to share learning on how to protect them for future generations."

There were several discussions on rural society and economics, the obstacles faced by our farming communities, the history of changing and inspiring landscape.

Workshops focused on utilising rural church buildings and working with communities to combat isolation in the countryside.