Bishop Storey announces her retirement

THE Bishop of Meath & Kildare, the Most Revd Patricia Storey, is to retire on 31 July next year. Announcing her decision at a meeting of the diocesan council on 18 March, she described her ministry as “an immense privilege”. She made history in 2013 when she became the first woman bishop in the Church of Ireland and the British Isles.

York Minster launches beer to commemorate saint

YORK MINSTER and Brew York have launched a limited-edition ale, Poisoned Chalice, to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the canonisation of the city’s patron, St William of York. The name refers to the legend of his murder at the Minster. The ale is available to buy from the York Minster Shop and at Brew York venues.

Festival cancelled after headliner blocked

THE Wireless music festival has been cancelled after its headliner Kanye West, legally known as Ye, was barred from entering the UK owing to previous anti-Semitic comments and actions. In May 2025, Mr West sold T-shirts featuring swastikas and released a song, “Heil Hitler”. He has since apologised and has offered to meet members of the Jewish community in the UK. He was due to perform at the festival in London this summer, but the Home Office rescinded his Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) on Tuesday, saying that “his presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good.”

TERRY HARRISPeterborough Cathedral’s young choristers

Cathedral launches funding drive for choristers

PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL announced on Tuesday a campaign, Future Voices, “designed to safeguard and amplify the voices of its young choristers”. The director of music at Peterborough Cathedral, Chris Strange, said: “At the centre of our 900-year-old musical tradition, they are extraordinarily talented yet entirely ordinary young people who dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to the music we offer. The experiences they gain here help shape their futures, and we are committed to ensuring this opportunity continues for generations to come.”