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New Head of Publishing appointed

4 October 2005

The Archbishops’ Council has appointed Thomas Allain-Chapman as the new Head of Publishing.

Dr Allain-Chapman is currently Publishing Manager, Key Subjects, with Collins Education, part of HarperCollins Publishers. He joined HarperCollins in 1995 as Editor in their Religious Division. In 1997 he moved across to Education to commission for Religious Education and Life Skills. In 2000 his role expanded to Social Sciences, and in March 2004 he took up his current role, which spans fifteen curriculum areas.

Thomas graduated from King’s College, University of London in 1990 with a degree in English. He stayed on to gain an MA in Victorian Literature in 1991 and his Ph D – on the work of Henry James – in 1996.

Professor Peter Toyne, who chairs the Archbishops’ Council Publishing Board, said: “We look forward to Thomas playing an important part in leading Church House Publishing into a new era. Publishing has a key role in taking forward the mission-shaped agenda of the Church in innovative and imaginative ways.”

Thomas lives in Rochester with his wife, Justine, and their three children. Justine is ordained and is the Director of Mission and Pastoral Studies at the South East Institute for Theological Education.

A keen musician in his spare time, Thomas sings and writes music both sacred and secular. He has also collaborated with his brother, Richard Allain, the acclaimed choral composer, on musicals and cantatas for children and adults.

Thomas says: “I am very excited at the prospect of leading Church House Publishing and building on the impressive achievements of recent years, particularly the launch of Common Worship. I have spent much of the last eight years developing resources to support classroom teachers in their task. I look forward to working with the team to produce essential resources for all those seeking to further the life and mission of the Church of England.”

Thomas will take up his post on 31 October.

 

Church House Publishing is one of the leading religious publishers in the UK and the official publisher to the Archbishops' Council and the General Synod of the Church of England. Over the last 10 years CHP has enjoyed an impressive track record of growth and achievement and has developed a high reputation for its product quality and range. CHP publishes around 60 new titles each year, ranging from headline-hitting reports to books on ministry and evangelism, church care and conservation. CHP publish liturgy, including the complete Common Worship range, and through the software package Visual Liturgy 4.0 have become a world leading electronic publisher of worship planning resources.  Reference publications include Crockford’s Clerical Directory and The Church of England Year Book. 

For up-to-date information visit http://www.chpublishing.co.uk.