News Release

Issued 24.6.09 For immediate use

Clergy numbers boosted as eleven new curates ordained at Ripon Cathedral

Clergy numbers in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds will be boosted this weekend with the ordination of eleven new curates to serve in parishes throughout the diocese. Six men and five women will be ordained at Ripon Cathedral this coming Sunday, June 28th.

The eleven 'ordinands' include the former Chief Executive of the Falklands, Michael Blanch, and two ordinands who will also serve as secondary school chaplains – David Ford at Abbey Grange School in Leeds, and Peter Matthews at St Francis Xavier school in Richmond. Unusually, one of those being ordained, David Hayes, will continue working as a Funeral Director in Leeds.

Pictured with the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Rt Revd John Packer (front centre), are the eleven being ordained:

(Back row, left to right) Gordon Newton, from Leeds who will serve at Armley with new Wortley;

Peter Matthews who worked for the British Council in Botswana and Zambia and who will be curate at Catterick, chaplain at St Francis Xavier School and a Pioneer Minister in Richmond Deanery;

Michael Blanch, former chief executive of the Falkland Islands, who will serve his curacy at Askrigg united with Stallingbusk;

Darryl Hall, a former business manager from Northallerton who trained at Cranmer Hall and will serve in the Knaresborough Team;

Jude Smith, a youth worker from Luton who will serve in the Beeston Team Ministry and as a Pioneer Minister;

Marjorie Warner, a counsellor, who will serve her curacy at Masham united with Healey;

Bridget Hawkins, a breastfeeding counsellor with Leeds Primary Care Trust, who will serve at Hawksworth Wood with Moor Grange;

(Front row, left to right)

David Ford, a former marketing and PR director who will serve as a curate at Bramhope with Ireland Wood and as a chaplain at Abbey Grange School;

Helen Banks, a bereavement visitor at St. Gemma’s Hospice who will be curate at Garforth;

David Hayes, a funeral director, who will serve his curacy at Leeds St John and St Barnabas, Belle Isle;

Diane Flynn who will serve at Roundhay St Edmund.

Two services are to be held at Ripon Cathedral, the first at 10.30am led by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, and the second, at 5.30pm by the Bishop of Beverley, the Rt Revd Martyn Jarrett.

ENDS

Picture attached - Ordinands1.jpg

Issued by John Carter (Rev)
Press and Communications Officer, Diocese of Ripon and Leeds

jhgcarter@aol.com
01423 530369 or mobile 07798 652707