Archbishop Justin Welby consecrated the new Bishops of Aston, Taunton and Islington today.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, ordained and consecrated three new Church of England bishops in a service at St Paul’s Cathedral today [29 Sept 2015].

The Archbishop consecrated the Revd Anne Hollinghurst as Bishop of Aston, the Ven Ruth Worsley as Bishop of Taunton, and the Revd Ric Thorpe as Bishop of Islington.

Bishop Anne was previously vicar of St Peter’s Church in St Albans. She has also served as a Residentiary Canon of Manchester Cathedral and as Chaplain to the Bishop of Manchester. Before ordination she was a youth worker in West Sussex and Nottingham.

Bishop Ruth was formerly Archdeacon of Wilts in the Diocese of Salisbury. Before becoming Archdeacon in 2013, she served for 14 years as a parish priest in Nottingham in one of the poorest areas in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.

Bishop Ric was previously the Bishop of London’s Adviser for Church Planting and Rector of St Paul’s Shadwell. The see of Islington, vacant since 1923, has been revived by the Bishop of London to support intentional evangelism both in London Diocese and throughout the Church of England.