A NEW vicar has been selected to lead the Sodbury Vale benefice.

Rev David Bowers will take over as rector at St John’s Church in Chipping Sodbury, St James the Elder in Horton, St Adeline’s in Little Sodbury and St John’s in Old Sodbury.

Mr Bowers, vicar of South Cerney since 2008, will be licensed by the Bishop of Gloucester on July 13. He takes over from Rev Jane Kenchington who left the parish last year.

Mr Bowers, 60, originally from Salford, worked as a civil servant for three years before being ordained. He worked in parishes in Manchester, Bolton and Rochdale before moving to the Gloucester Diocese in 1998, where for 10 years he was associate director of Ordinands as well as vicar of a group of parishes near Tewkesbury.

He said he and his wife Judith, a nurse in Malmesbury, were looking forward to moving to Chipping Sodbury.

“I am very pleased to have been offered, subject to due process, and to have accepted, the post of Rector of the Sodbury Vale Benefice and Judith and I look forward to joining you as we look to the future together as God leads and guides us,” he said.

“We are both from Salford and we have two grown up children.

“We enjoy walking, travel, music, cooking and entertaining and we have a special interest in Indian culture and food as we have visited the country several times.

"I enjoy watching sport, especially rugby and football, and have been a lifelong Manchester United supporter, as well as a more recent follower of rugby at Gloucester.”

Added Mr Bowers: “We are looking forward to being part of your communities and to getting to know all of you as we settle into our new home in Chipping Sodbury.”