Vicar eager for fresh challenge

THE Rev James Read

PARISHIONERS at St Anne’s Church, Royton, are preparing to welcome their new vicar after a four-month interregnum.

Since the Rev Keith Justice left in April, the curate, the Rev David Halford has taken most of the services, but the congregation will once again have an incumbent now that the Rev James Read has accepted the living.

Mr Read (57) currently the vicar of St John’s, Facit, and St Bartholomew’s, both in Whitworth, will take up the post in November.

He said: “I’ve worked in Whitworth for nearly 12 years and there will be a lot of sad goodbyes when I leave, but I’m looking forward to a new challenge at St Anne’s.

Mr Read, who is married with two-step children and four grandchildren, started life as a teacher and has worked in Kenya and the Caribbean.

He said: “I suppose I have quite a broad life experience which I can bring to the role.

“It will be interesting to work in a church which has brownie and cub packs, which we didn’t have at St John’s and St Bartholomew’s.”

And Mr Read revealed that he does not have any major plans yet. He said: "I'm just going in with an open mind. I'm looking forward to starting work there, seeing what I discover and working with that."