Archbishop asks US to lift driver’s immunity
THE Archbishop of Canterbury has written to the United States’ Ambassador in London to ask that it be made possible for Anne Sacoolas, the wife of an American diplomat, to be extradited to the UK for police questioning over the death of Harry Dunn, it has been reported. Mrs Sacoolas has admitted driving on the wrong side of the road outside RAF Croughton, where Mr Dunn, 19, was killed in a head-on collision. She has claimed diplomatic immunity and was allowed to return to Maryland in the US. A Lambeth Palace spokesperson said: “The Archbishop has written to the US ambassador Robert Wood Johnson asking him to reconsider the diplomatic immunity. He would like Mrs Sacoolas to return so a full and proper investigation can be carried out.” Mr Dunn’s mother, Charlotte Charles, pictured on Tuesday outside Buckingham Palace, where the US President, Donald Trump, was at a reception, has called on the Prime Minister to “press the case” with President Trump.
Next Bishop of Doncaster appointed
THE next Suffragan Bishop of Doncaster, in the diocese of Sheffield, is to be Canon Sophie Rebecca Jelley, Downing Street announced on Monday. She will succeed the Rt Revd Peter Burrows, who retired in September. Canon Jelly trained at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, was ordained deacon in 1997, and priest in 1998. She served her title at St Peter’s, Shipley, in the diocese of Bradford, before becoming a mission partner with the Church Mission Society in Uganda for three years. On her return in 2003, she became Resident Minister of Churt and Hindhead in the diocese of Guildford, until 2010, when she was appointed Vicar of St Andrew’s, Burgess Hill. Canon Jelley was appointed Canon Missioner and Diocesan Director of Mission, Discipleship, and Ministry in the diocese of Durham, in 2015. She is married to Chris, a technology consultant, and they have three teenage children.
‘Quarter of working-class men’ have mental ill-health
MORE than four million working-class men suffer from mental ill-health, new research suggests. The research, published by Public First in Tackling The Stigma: Using the power of sport to support men’s mental health, and commissioned by Kindred Group, is based on a study of 4000 UK adults. More than a quarter of working-class men — NRS social grade C2 (skilled working class), D (semi-skilled), and E (non-working, including state pensioners and casual workers) — reported that they had suffered from mental ill-health in the past 12 months, thought that they might require treatment, but decided not to seek help. Just over half (54 per cent) were aware of the symptoms, compared with two-thirds (66 per cent) of all UK adults. The report estimates that 1.7 million working-class men had to take some time off work in the past 12 months; 2.3 million found it difficult to focus; and 1.2 million lost or changed their job because they had experienced symptoms of mental ill-health.
Church Commissioners win IPE awards
THE Church Commissioners won awards in two themed categories — Real Estate; and for Environmental, Social, and Governance — at the IPE Awards dinner in Copenhagen, on Monday.
Dignitaries back campaign against domestic violence
THE Bishop of Tonbridge, in Rochester diocese, the Rt Revd Simon Burton-Jones, and the Archdeacon of Canterbury, the Ven. Jo Kelly-Moore, attending an event in Chatham, have lent their support to the White Ribbon campaign, which seeks to end male violence against women. The Archdeacon said: “It is vital that we give this campaign the full weight of our support. . . I was moved by those I spoke to at the event in Chatham; their bravery, their hope, and their determination to stop this happening to others. We need to reach out and be part of that conversation.”
Training day for Travellers and Roma chaplaincy
THE Churches Network for Gypsies, Travellers, and Roma has held its first chaplaincy training day at Westminster Archive, after the General Synod voted in February to speak out against racism, make land available, and appoint chaplains to these communities in every diocese (News, 23 February). The training day included presentations on current chaplaincy work. Martin Burrell, who chairs the network, said: “There are only two chaplains in the C of E working with nomadic people. . . Our vision is to have a chaplain in every diocese.”