Press release

Diocese of Bradford

The Queen has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Nicholas Baines for election as Bishop of Bradford.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The Queen has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Nicholas Baines, BA, Area Bishop of Croydon, for election as Bishop of Bradford in succession to the Right Reverend David Charles James, BA, BSc, PhD, on his resignation on the 14 July 2010.

Notes for Editors

The Right Reverend Nicholas Baines (aged 53) studied Modern Languages at the University of Bradford, worked as a linguist specialist at GCHQ, Cheltenham, and trained for ordination at Trinity College Bristol. From 1980 to 1984 he was a linguist specialist at GCHQ, Cheltenham. He was ordained Deacon in 1987 and Priest in 1988. From 1987 to 1991 he served as assistant curate at St Thomas Kendal and from 1991 to 1992 as assistant priest at Holy Trinity with Saint John, Leicester. In 1992 he was appointed Vicar of St Mary and Saint John, Rothley in Leicester Diocese where he remained until 2000 when he became Archdeacon of Lambeth. He was appointed Area Bishop of Croydon in 2003. He was a Member of the General Synod from 1995 -2005 and was a Director of the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group from 2002 -2010. A regular broadcaster, he also chairs the Sandford St Martin Trust. He is the Anglican Co-chair of the Meissen Commission and represents the Archbishop of Canterbury at global interfaith conferences. He has written six books and writes a popular blog.

He is married to Linda and they have three adult children and a very young grandson. His interests include the shaping of the church to face the challenges and opportunities of the twenty first century, particularly engagement with people outside the church. Other interests include reading, music and sport (particularly Liverpool FC).

Published 17 December 2010