Mullally to make pastoral visits to four dioceses in 2026

THE Archbishop of Canterbury is to make pastoral visits to four dioceses this year, to meet clergy and congregations. Archbishop Mullally’s first visit will be to Peterborough diocese from 16 to 17 May. Her itinerary will include meeting hospital chaplains at Kettering General Hospital and presiding at evensong in Peterborough Cathedral. In June, she will visit Rochester diocese; in September, she will visit Leicester diocese, as it marks the 100th anniversary of its creation; and, in October, she will visit Hereford diocese to celebrate its 1350th anniversary.

Bishop of Derby on sick leave

THE Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Libby Lane, is on sick leave, the diocese announced last Friday. Her episcopal responsibilities have been delegated to the suffragan, the Bishop of Repton, the Rt Revd Malcolm Macnaughton, until he retires at the end of the month. After this, episcopal responsibilities will be delegated to the Rt Revd Jackie Searle, a former Bishop of Credition, who is an honorary assistant bishop in Coventry diocese. “Our prayers and best wishes are with her [Bishop Lane] at this time for a full recovery,” a Derby diocesan statement said.

Dr Grenfell appointed co-chair of safeguarding APPG

THE Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, Dr Joanne Grenfell, has been appointed as a new co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for safeguarding in faith communities, it was announced last Friday. Dr Grenfell was the C of E’s lead safeguarding bishop for the past three years. The MP for Newport West and Islwyn, Ruth Jones, is the other co-chair.

Pensions Board confirm date for rise

PENSIONERS with post-2010 service will receive a rise in their pension by 31 March 2027 at the latest, the Pensions Board has confirmed. The announcement was made after a General Synod vote last year in favour of improvements to clergy pensions (News, 18 July 2025). The new rules came into effect on 1 April. The changes are to be applied retrospectively, so that those who retired after cuts were made in 2011 would also receive a rise (Features, 3 October 2025). For these pensioners, the first payment after the increase will also include monthly increases backdated to 1 April 2026. Access to an online tool, which allows members to run their own pre-retirement pension illustrations, through the PensionsOnline account.

Films mark contribution of self-supporting ministers

THE Bishop of Birkenhead, the Rt Revd Julie Conalty, who is the lead bishop for self-supporting ministers, has appeared in a video marking the contribution of self- supporting ministers (SSMs). “I see how many gifted, talented and brilliant self-supporting ordained ministers that we have around the church, some are them are associates helping out around parishes, some are running parishes as the vicar or as the incumbent, some work in chaplaincy — they do all sorts of things,” she said. The film also features a hairdresser, a data consultant, a solicitor, and a teacher, all of whom are SSMs and who speak about their dual vocations. The films have been posted before Sunday, which is designated Vocations Sunday.

Dame Averil Cameron, historian, dies, aged 86

DAME Averil Cameron, a scholar of late antiquity, Byzantium, and early Christian historical writing, died on 7 April, aged 86. The only child of paper-mill worker, she won a Hughes Exhibition in 1958 to read Ancient History and Philosophy at Somerville College, Oxford. In 1994, she became the first female Warden of Keble College, where she was involved in filling college livings. She led a review of the future of Royal Peculiars in 2001, after the sacking of Martin Neary as Organist of Westminster Abbey. An advocate for the arts, she fund-raised regularly to improve performance venues. Her books included Byzantine Christianity and A History of Byzantine Christianity. Obituary to follow.

No charges over crushed falcon eggs in St Albans

THE Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said that “no further action will be taken” against a man who was seen on a live stream destroying three peregrine-falcon eggs on the roof of St Albans Cathedral last April. A CPS spokesperson said on Saturday: “Our prosecutors worked with police to establish the circumstances and, after carefully reviewing the evidence, we determined that it did not meet our legal test and no further action will be taken.” A statement from St Albans Cathedral said that it was “disappointed with the CPS’s decision not to prosecute, but is pleased that the matter was investigated fully and has now concluded”. Last May, two peregrine falcon chicks that had hatched in the nesting box at Worcester Cathedral were poisoned (News, 7 November 2025).

Cross falls from roof of St Gabriel’s, Binbrook

THE treasurer of St Mary and St Gabriel, Binbrook, in Lincoln diocese, Philip Wallis, said that he was “very sad” when a large stone cross fell from the church’s roof during storms on Palm Sunday. The cross was 5ft, but Mr Wallis hopes that original plans of the 1869 church can be used to create an identical replacement. He told the BBC last Friday: “At the time we celebrate the crucifixion and all that sort of stuff, our cross fell off the church. It was somewhat weird.” Late at night on 11 April, 500 litres of heating oil was stolen from the church: the second time that such a theft had occurred. Mr Wallis said: “There was evidence of wickedness. There was no oil left in the tank: it had been completely drained.” Lincolnshire Police said: “Changes in oil levels may go unnoticed and, while some victims may lose only a small amount, others may find their tank has been completely emptied. For this reason, we urge you to monitor your oil levels closely.”