Archbishop to visit Herefordshire and Shropshire

The Archbishop of Canterbury is visiting Herefordshire and Shropshire next month as part of anniversary celebrations and also to hear about mission and outreach in rural areas.

The Most Revd Dame Sarah Mullally is visiting the Diocese of Hereford during its 1,350th anniversary year, following an invite from the Bishop of Hereford, The Rt Revd Richard Jackson.

She will be attending services at Hereford Cathedral and in Ludlow on 10 October, then visit the Much Marcle Big Apple Festival on 11 October.

Ahead of the visit, the archbishop said: "I look forward to praying and worshipping with you all and seeing the ways that you make Jesus known in your communities across the diocese."

She described the anniversary as an "extraordinary milestone", adding it was "a testament to the generations of faithful Christians sharing Jesus' love across this region".

Alongside her public engagements, she will undertake some private meetings, including spending time with members of the farming community and the hospital team in Hereford, ahead of Baby Loss Awareness Week.

She said: "I look forward to visiting farming communities, youth hubs and hospital chaplaincies, as well as joining a harvest festival and confirmation service at parish churches, and evensong at Hereford Cathedral."

Richard said: "We are honoured that Archbishop Sarah has accepted our invitation to visit the diocese in this our 1,350th anniversary year; one of the first diocesan visits since her appointment.

"We hope to give her a flavour of our deeply rural counties and our innovative mission and outreach, but also to foster understanding of our unique challenges."

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