The Bishop and the Dean are delighted to announce that Mrs Ann Capell is to be a Member of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral and a Lay Canon, in succession to Miss Heather Haines. Ann will be installed as a Lay Canon at Evensong at 5.30pm on Wednesday 20 May.

Ann lives in Bewdley, and is a parishioner of St Anne’s Church, where she sings in the choir. She represents the Deanery of Kidderminster on the Diocesan Board of Education, is very much involved in church schools throughout the Diocese, and is a School Inspector. Before her retirement, she was Deputy Head of Redhill School, Dudley.

Bishop John said: ”I am delighted to appoint Ann as a Lay Canon. She will bring to the life of the Cathedral very considerable gifts and experience in education as well as firm Christian commitment.  She will also be able to help the Cathedral to forge links with the Dudley end of the Diocese of Worcester, having spent a good portion of her working life there.”

The Dean of Worcester, Peter Atkinson said: “My colleagues on the Cathedral Chapter and I are very glad to welcome Ann to the work of the Chapter. She is a person of great professional experience, who brings the perspective of someone deeply committed both to her parish church and to the work of church schools.”

The Chapter is the governing body of the Cathedral, and comprises the Dean (the Very Reverend Peter Atkinson), three Residentiary Canons, and two Lay Canons. The Residentiaries are Canon Alvyn Pettersen (Canon Theologian) and Canon David Stanton (Precentor). The third Residentiary Canonry is at present vacant, but will be filled by the next Diocesan Director of Ordinands. The other Lay Canon is Professor Michael Clarke.

The Bishop has conferred the title of Canon Emerita on Heather Haines in recognition of her seven years’ service as a Lay Member of the Chapter.

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.