The Bishop of Gloucester, the Right Revd Rachel Treweek, has created a collaborative team to support her in her role as Anglican Bishop for HM Prisons in England and Wales.

Bishop Rachel is tasked with supporting the network of 300 Anglican Prison Chaplains who share in the front-line care of prisoners, as well as developing relationships and being involved with people and issues across the breadth of the Criminal Justice System.

This includes probation and community services, as well as many different charities and organisations.

In all of this, Bishop Rachel seeks to use her role as a Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords, not least working for a change to systems and sentencing for the most vulnerable people in our communities, whilst not losing sight of appropriate justice for victims of crime.

Bishop Libby will support Bishop Rachel in work with young offenders, which will be a natural extension to her work as vice-chair of The Children's Society. 

Bishop Libby said, “I am delighted to be joining this team and look forward to working with Bishop Rachel and Bishop Michael with other partners working across the criminal justice system. I have a particular passion to see restorative justice leading to transformed lives with meaningful integration and contribution to community. Sharing with this team complements the work I currently engage with through The Children’s Society in our shared commitment to the most vulnerable, and at risk, children and young people in our land.”

The Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield, will support with the male estate and bring his experience of being in a diocese with a number of prisons.

The Team will work closely with the Revd Helen Dearnley, HMPPS Anglican Chaplaincy Advisor.

Bishop Rachel said, “I will be involved across the breadth of the prison estate, but I am hoping that this collaborative approach will enable more prisons to be visited and will provide deeper insight and shared learning. We will of course be working in close liaison with bishops in every diocese where prisons are situated and who remain responsible for the licensing and everyday pastoral care of their Anglican prison chaplains.”

The new episcopal prison team marked the beginning of their work together on Thursday 29 July 2021 with a joint visit to the Diocese of Lichfield where each visited separate prisons.

Bishop Rachel visited HMP Featherstone and HMP Oakwood; Bishop Michael visited HMP Brinsford and Bishop Libby visited HMP Werrington.

Over the last few years Bishop Rachel was Bishop for Women’s Prisons and has undertaken a huge amount in campaigning for prison reform and community rehabilitation for women in the criminal justice system, or at risk of offending.  She now wants to develop that collaborative way of working.

An ancient tree by St Cuthbert’s Church, Doveridge, holds stories of the parishioners, its visitors and England’s most famous outlaw.

When Youlgreave first started to consider how to remember the First World War 100 years on, little did the villagers know how the project would develop.

A poem by Revd Roy Bradshaw

Standing before my great uncle's grave in the still, silent and peaceful Gommecourt New Wood Cemetery in France, I wondered if I was the first. Was I the first member of the King family to have visited him?

A poem by Michael Bust

More than 100 volunteers in the Diocese of Derby have been awarded a Bishop’s Badge for service to their church community. The awards were made in two special services in Derby Cathedral by the Bishop of Repton, the Rt Revd Jan McFarlane.

Bishop’s Badge was introduced by Bishop Alastair a few years ago as a way of commending those who had gone the extra mile to help their local parishes and associated communities.

> In pictures (on Flickr):Bishop's Badge - Chesterfield Archdeaconry | Derby Archdeaconry

Among those receiving a Bishop’s Badge this year were:

• Jean Redfern from Hulland Ward. She was awarded her badge for 75 years' service to the RBL Poppy appeal. She started when she was 10, is now 85 and hasn't missed a single year. At the age of 71 she had a pacemaker fitted. The operation was on a Monday and by the Thursday she was out selling poppies again.

• Neil Seviour, who gave life-saving first aid

• Jackie Ainley, who continued to do administrative work for All Saints, Mugginton, from her hospital bed after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Sadly, Jackie died a week after being told she was to be awarded a badge, but her family were able to tell her about the award and show her pictures before she died. Her Badge was collected on her behalf by her Daughter, Carlotte.
• Alison Barnett is the Tower Captain at St Wilfrid's, West Hallam. She has completely revitalised and re-energised the ringing crew and spent hours training a number of new ringers. They will take part in the ringing event to mark the end of WW1 next month too.

Bishop's Badge has historic links, based on a medal that the very first Bishop of Derby, Bishop Edmund Pearce, had struck to celebrate this new beginning.

Medals were presented to distinguished members of the Diocese and to all those being confirmed in that year. In recent years, Bishop Alastair arranged for a replica of this medal to be minted and mounted in the form of a badge. 

Each year, the diocesan Bishop awards these badges, based upon recommendations made, to acknowledge outstanding service to the church.

Ever wondered what it's like to be a churchwarden?

Hazel Massey, the churchwarden at St Wilfrid's, West Hallam, says it's more than just a position, it's a vocation. 

So if you've ever thought that you might be called to do work for the church, but not inclined to be ordained, read on...

Hazel writes:

I’m sure most of you are aware that as a churchwarden generally we have responsibility for the fabric of the building and work with the Priest to enable worship to happen. 

I am a volunteer and this a part of how I can give back to my faith and church.