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Bishop of Blackburn to lead National work with Deaf & Disabled People

19 March 2008

 

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, is to lead the Church of England’s work among deaf and disabled people.

He succeeds the Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Rev Jack Nicholls as Chair of the Committee for Ministry of and among Deaf and Disabled People. The appointment was made by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

"Working in this area is special for me, because working with people is always special," Bishop Nicholas said. "I have always counted it a privilege to work for those that some try to marginalise. No-one should ever be marginalised by the Church.

"It is essential that the needs of deaf and disabled people are heard, and kept at the centre of the Church’s life. If I have to chair a central committee of the Church of England, I am glad it is to be a pastoral responsibility, and not something to do with finance or management!"

The Bishop will lead the national committee encouraging and strengthening the participation of Deaf people in the life of the Church of England, reflecting their views to the Church and supporting the work of chaplains. The committee also reports to the Archbishops’ Council and other senior church bodies on disability issues.

"In practice, besides chairing the group, I will represent it in General Synod, speak up for the needs of deaf and disabled people in the Synod and the House of Bishops and be the 'lead bishop' on these issues," Bishop Nicholas said. "As necessary, I will also brief the bishops in the House of Lords on deaf and disability matters."

The Bishop added: "Deaf people and disabled people, like everyone else, have their special gifts and I want to see these used to the full in the Church. I have always had pastoral posts in the Church and was a parish priest for 24 years, and would want to bring that pastoral experience to working further with those people who are deaf and disabled."

Bishop Nicholas said that in his former role as Archdeacon of Lewes and Hastings (1997-2003) he worked tirelessly to ensure that churches had efficient loop systems to help hard of hearing people, and to ensure that disabled people were helped through the implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act.