With grateful thanks for his ministry and prayers of blessing for the future, we announce that The Venerable Richard Worsfold, Archdeacon of Leicester, has been appointed as full-time Area Dean of Salford and Leigh in the Diocese of Manchester.
Richard’s responsibilities as Area Dean will include providing deanery leadership, identifying opportunities for growth in mission communities, and clergy development across this area of Greater Manchester.
Richard was called to ordained ministry 30 years ago, having first trained and worked as a commercial law solicitor while serving as a church warden in a small inner-city church in London.
He came to the Diocese of Leicester in 1995, fulfilling his curacy in Countesthorpe with Foston, Arnesby, Shearsby and Bruntingthorpe, before taking up the role of team vicar and then team rector in the Bradgate team (Ratby, Groby and Newtown Linford).
He later moved into the city as vicar of the Church of the Martyrs, combining this role with the positions of Area Dean of the City of Leicester and Diocesan Link Officer for the Dioceses of Mount Kilimanjaro and Kiteto. Richard became Archdeacon of Leicester in 2018.
Commenting on the announcement, Richard said: “Ministering as Archdeacon has been a wonderful privilege, supporting a wide variety of church communities, chaplaincy/school settings and so many gifted ministers and church officers, working with valued deanery and diocesan colleagues.
“Since leaving my parish and Leicester city Area Dean role over six years ago, I have missed not being quite as involved in day-to-day parish-based ministry and mission. So, I am looking forward to the fresh challenges of the new role across the parishes West of Manchester.”
He added: “After 30 years of living and ministering in Leicestershire, Jenny and I will hugely miss the close friendships, connections and ministries that have developed over that time. We will, however, find ourselves living closer to our children and their families, which has also been an important factor in our discernment.
“As I start to look back over our time in the diocese, I count it a particular blessing to have been able to accompany and encourage so many on their journeys of discipleship into leadership, ministry and service wherever God was calling, and is still calling, them to be.”
The Rt Revd Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester, said: “Richard has given so much to this diocese over many years as parish priest, Area Dean and Archdeacon. His humility and joy in ministry have been a shining example and we will miss him greatly.
“However, I am pleased that this opportunity has emerged for Richard and Jenny to move closer to family and I will be praying for them as they prepare for this move. There will be time to say a proper ‘thank you’ and ‘goodbye’ when we know more details of the timing of their move.”
Further details of Richard’s departure and licensing in Manchester will be given in due course, but will unlikely be before September 2025.
The process to appoint the next Archdeacon of Leicester will begin imminently.