The Diocese of Blackburn has announced a new 'Director of Ministry' who will take up the role in early March.

Rev. Canon Anne Beverley will lead a ‘Growing Leaders’ team which aims to ensure the diocese properly reflect the communities it serves.

Anne said: “I’m excited to begin this new role and to be raising up new leaders across the diocese.  

“Everybody can have a calling into leadership. I want to build on the work of others’ before me to ensure the church here in Lancashire looks like the people it serves as much as possible.  

“That includes drawing out greater numbers of ordained and lay leaders from communities proportionately under-represented in church leadership; including people from global majority heritage backgrounds and other people from lower socio-economic groups.  

“We also want to raise up a new generation of young leaders right here in Lancashire and hope to secure money in due course from the national church to support that work … which will include the creation of youth leadership academies.”

Anne has been Area Dean of Kirkham; Dean of Women’s Ministry and led a turnaround as Vicar of Christ Church, Wesham.  

After a career in senior management in the leisure industry and establishing her own business, Anne took a career break to have her children, prior to embarking on her calling into ministry.  

The Growing Leaders Team will work alongside the Diocesan Board of Education in identifying young leaders in the county.