Emma Pettifer has been appointed as the new Children’s Officer for the Diocese of Worcester. She starts on the 2 March and will be responsible for working with churches across Worcestershire and Dudley, supporting the huge number of children who live and worship in our parishes.

Emma comes to Worcester from the Diocese of London and she has spent the last eight years working as a Children’s Worker in three different churches (in both London and Winchester Dioceses).  In these parishes she was responsible for growing the children’s churches and youth groups (in one church the youth group grew from 6 – 64 people in four years under Emma’s leadership), setting up support networks for children and young people and running training courses.

Director of Education, the Revd David Morphy, said: “We are delighted to have Emma join us. She has considerable experience with children’s and youth work in a variety of parishes and brings much enthusiasm and commitment for effective work with children. I’m sure parishes will soon find her an invaluable friend and help with their work.”

Emma is looking forward to getting to know the education team in the diocese and then meeting with children’s workers based in parishes. “I’ve always felt that I wanted to help children and help others get to know God,” she said: “One of the great things about this job is that I’ll be able to help and support others to do that too!” Emma will work with all parishes to help them to provide activities and worship suitable for the under 12 age group and will also organise events centrally for children across the diocese. She will be focussing on supporting parishes in using the Kitemark award to improve the quality and the impact of their children’s work.

Emma is moving to Worcester with her husband, who has already signed them up for ballroom dancing lessons! “We are looking forward to exploring the local area and finding a local church to worship in,” she said.

ENDS.

The Diocese of Worcester is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of 671 square miles and includes parishes in the County of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and a few parishes in northern Gloucestershire, south east Wolverhampton and Sandwell.