10 Downing Street has announced today that His Majesty the King has approved the appointments in the Diocese of York of the Reverend Canon Doctor Flora Winfield as Suffragan Bishop of Selby, and of the Reverend Barry Hill as the Suffragan Bishop of Whitby. This follows the retirement of the Right Reverend Doctor John Thomson and Right Reverend Paul Ferguson.
As Suffragan Bishops in the Diocese of York, the Bishops of Selby and Whitby minister with the Bishop of Hull alongside the Archbishop of York.
The Bishop of Selby holds a particular responsibility for the care of the people, parishes, and clergy in the Archdeaconry of York, including Selby, Market Weighton, Malton, Easingwold, and the City of York itself. Additionally, the Bishop of Selby will serve as the episcopal lead for the implementation of the Diocese of York’s transformative strategy, ‘Living Christ’s Story’, and will be the principal point of reference for the diocesan administration to facilitate this organisational change.
The Bishop of Whitby holds a particular responsibility for the care of the people, parishes, and clergy in the Archdeaconry of Cleveland, which stretches from Thirsk north to Middlesbrough, along the coast to Whitby, and south to Pickering. Additionally, the Bishop of Whitby will lead the Diocese of York’s priority of Growing Younger and More Diverse, ensuring this is understood and woven into the whole diocesan mission and ministry, and will serve as Chair of the Board of Education with a particular care for the 121 Church of England schools in the Diocese.
Bishop-designate of Selby, Flora Winfield’s ministry to date has spanned the Dioceses of Oxford, Gloucester, Winchester, London, and Leeds. Ordained deacon in 1989 and priest in 1994, Flora was among the first women to be ordained in the Church of England. Since 2022, she has been the Third Church Estates Commissioner, among other things chairing the Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon Programme Board. Flora is married to Jonathan, and they have a black Labrador dog.
Bishop-designate of Whitby, Barry Hill’s ministry to date has been within the Diocese of Leicester; he was ordained in 2005 and currently serves as the diocese’s Strategy Development Enabler. Previously, he has been Team Rector of Harborough Anglican Team, alongside roles leading mission, fresh expressions of Church and church planting across the diocese. Barry is married to Stephanie (Pep), who is also ordained, and is father to Greg and Katy. Their dog, Tilly, is considered the “fifth member of the household.”
Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, said, “I’m delighted that Flora Winfield and Barry Hill have agreed to come and serve with us here in the York Diocese as Bishops of Selby and Whitby. They will be consecrated on the feast day of Saint Paulinus, the first Bishop of York in the 7th century, and I hope this will be a sign of the missionary purpose they will bring to our life in Christ. Both are hugely gifted and experienced; they are people of depth and faith.”
Looking ahead, Flora said, “I am delighted and humbled to respond to this call to be the next Bishop of Selby, and I am looking forward so much to working with Archbishop Stephen, with fellow bishops, the Archdeacon of York, clergy, and parishes, building on the tremendous commitment to this ministry of Bishop John, to support and encourage God’s people in ministry, mission and evangelism, service, worship, study, prayer, hospitality, community, and life together.”
Archbishop Stephen said, “Flora knows the Church inside out and has served the Church in a huge variety of contexts, be it as an Army Chaplain, representing the Anglican Communion at the United Nations, or helping the Church of England nationally sort out some of its most thorny pastoral challenges – and more besides!”
The Rt Revd David Urquhart, Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, said: “Flora Winfield’s appointment is good news for the Diocese of York and the Church of England. She brings a wealth of experience in the local and national Church, both as a parish priest and as the Third Church Estates Commissioner. Flora is a compassionate pastor and evangelist who understands the importance of fostering ecumenical and interfaith relations and I have been pleased to witness the impact of her ministry over many years. Her superb administrative gifts, and commitment to collaboration, prayer, and unity will be a great blessing as she serves with Archbishop Stephen and colleagues in the Diocese of York.”
Reflecting on his appointment, Barry said, “I’m excited, if a little daunted to be taking on the role! I am conscious of following someone of great faith, wisdom, and generosity of spirit in Bishop Paul and am looking forward to serving parishes and working with colleagues in helping us see more of how God is at work across our communities. After twenty years, it will be hard leaving the parishes and people of Leicester Diocese whom I have grown to love very deeply, but I am excited by what God no doubt has in store across the beautiful diversity of the archdeaconry of Cleveland and the wider diocese, especially as we seek to grow younger and more diverse.”
Archbishop Stephen said, “Barry will bring huge energy to work and ministry with children, young people, families, and schools. He has also served as part of the leadership team of the international prayer movement, Thy Kingdom Come.”
The Rt Revd Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester, said, “Barry has been a part of the Diocese of Leicester for nearly 20 years and while we will be very sorry to say goodbye to him, we are also very pleased that God has called him to be Bishop of Whitby in the Diocese of York. We give thanks to God for his vision, energy, and passion for the Gospel, and we pray for him and his family in this significant transition.”
The consecrations of the Bishops of Selby and Whitby will take place on 10th October 2024 at York Minster; further details will be published when confirmed.
Profile: The Revd Canon Dr Flora Winfield
Baptised at her own request at the age of eight and sustained through family upheavals by a growing relationship with God in Jesus Christ, Flora found as a young person a strong sense of the value of those who feel lost and on the margins. Her journey towards ordination began in 1982 when, at the age of 18, she offered herself as a candidate for deaconess ministry. Flora said she feels “enormously privileged” to have been among the first generation of women for whom ordained ministry, as a deacon (1989) and a priest (1994), was possible in the Church of England.
Flora served as a parish deacon in estates ministry and as Chaplain and Tutor in Church History at Mansfield College, University of Oxford, before becoming National Ecumenical Officer for the Church of England in 1997. In 1997, Flora was commissioned as a Chaplain in the Army Reserve, serving for the past 27 years with operational units and in Brigade and Divisional Headquarters as a Deputy Assistant Chaplain General.
In 2002, Flora was appointed as a Canon Residentiary at Winchester Cathedral and, in 2005, she took up the role of Assistant Secretary General, Religions for Peace, New York. Flora was appointed as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Secretary for Anglican Relations in 2007 and from 2008 to 2013 she also served as Priest-in-Charge at St Mary-at-Hill, in the Diocese of London. She was appointed as Anglican Communion Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 2014, as Archbishop’s Special Representative to the Commonwealth in 2017, as the Archbishop’s Adviser on Reconciliation in 2019 and as the Third Church Estates Commissioner in 2022.
In 2010, Flora was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater London, and serves as the Chair of the Lieutenancy Council on Faith.
Flora said, “I could never have envisaged, when I was first in the process of discernment for ordained ministry that, as well as being in parish and cathedral ministry, I would have opportunities for service in ecumenism, as a theologian, in teaching, in humanitarian diplomacy, in conflict transformation, as a chaplain in the Army Reserve, and now as a bishop. In all these, I have delighted in the call to recognise and share the story of God at work among us, in everyday life and in the most testing situations, as we discover together what it means to receive God’s needful gifts of grace.”
Flora’s husband, Jonathan, is currently the Archdeacon of Richmond and Craven in the Diocese of Leeds. Flora enjoys gardening, music, hospitality, and Roman archaeology.
Profile: The Revd Barry Hill
Born in 1979, Barry grew up in Sussex and came to faith as a teenager. After leaving school at 18, Barry spent a year on the diocesan year out scheme, which led to voluntary roles in youth work. He then worked in the flight simulation industry prior to beginning ordination training at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, in 2002.
At college, Barry met his wife Pep. He served his curacy in Loughborough, focusing on youth and student ministry and leadership development. In 2009, Barry was appointed Diocesan Mission Enabler, supporting clergy and lay leaders in the Diocese of Leicester’s over 300 city, town, and village churches in areas of parish renewal and mission, vocations, discipleship, and training. Barry then took up the dual roles in 2017 of Team Rector of a large and diverse benefice in Market Harborough, and of Diocesan Resourcing Church Enabler. Most recently, Barry has worked as Diocesan Strategy Development Enabler, leading the discernment and drafting of the Diocese of Leicester’s strategy, with a focus on growing younger and more diverse.
Additionally, Barry is a trustee of a large multi-academy trust with a particular passion around support for those with Special Education Needs and Disabilities, part of the Archbishops’ College of Evangelists, a member of General Synod, and as member of the Mothers’ Union has worked with the national team on various projects.
Reflecting on his faith journey, Barry said, “Over the years we have known God’s faithfulness through good times – like seeing people coming to faith and churches grow in serving their communities, and through challenges – such as facing miscarriages, long covid and cancer. Throughout all, God’s faithful love in Jesus Christ has been clear; woven through all, making life whole.” Barry is a passionate supporter of Brighton and Hove Albion football team, he enjoys cooking and musical theatre, and is learning to roller skate.