New vicar leaves Army life behind

NEW vicar of Oldham, the Rev Derek Palmer

A former Army chaplain who has travelled the world will be putting down roots as the new vicar of Oldham.

The Rev Derek Palmer (54) starts work as Team Rector on Tuesday, covering the Parish Church, Holy Trinity in Coldhurst and St Stephen’s, Lowermoor.

He comes from Staffordshire, but studied at Manchester University before being ordained in Lichfield and then becoming an Army chaplain.

After stints at Tidworth and Aldershot Barracks, Mr Palmer (pictured) travelled to the South Atlantic to spend six months in the Falkland Islands in 1986, only four years after the war ended.

He said: “They were still building the permanent new Army base when I was there. It was the Falklands’ winter, which has to be seen to be believed, with horizontal snow. The war was very fresh in people’s minds, and I spent a lot of time flying around to the memorial sites, arranging memorial services.”

That was followed by three years in Germany as chaplain to different Army units, and two years in Belize, before a stint in Palm Beach, Florida.

In 1995 he returned to England and parishes in Essex and Walthamstow in London, then moved north to be chaplain at Salford University from 2000 to 2006.

Mr Palmer has been Priest in Charge at St Andrew’s, Droylsden, for the past two-and-a-half years.

When he moves to Oldham he will be living at St Ambrose Vicarage in Prince Charlie Street, Derker, and working alongside the Rev Nick Smeeton, who cares for Holy Trinity and St Stephen’s, while Mr Palmer is based at the Parish Church.

His service of induction will be carried out by the Bishop of Middleton, the Right Rev Mark Davies, on March 25.

He said: “I have done very different jobs in different parts of the world, and although chaplaincy is what I have done most often, I do enjoy parish work.”

He replaces the Rev Donovan Meyer, who returned to South Africa last year after eight years in the team ministry, the last two as vicar of Oldham.