The Revd James Pickersgill has been announced as the new Chaplain to the Bishop of Leicester and will take up the role, which is funded by the Church of England nationally, at the beginning of October (on completion of routine HR processes).
James, who had a career in hospitality and hotel management before training for ordination 10 years ago, is currently Team Vicar at St Dionysius, Market Harborough (part of the Harborough Anglican Resource Church Team).
His career took him, amongst others, to Grosvenor House Hotel in London, Tewkesbury Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club and Gloucester Rugby Club, before James decided to explore a calling to ordination.
He studied for ordination at Trinity College Bristol (2011-2013) and his Curacy was in the Winchcombe Team Ministry, in Gloucester Diocese (2013-2017) where he was the first person to be priested by Bishop Martyn before he and his family moved to Leicestershire.
He has been married to Catherine for 22 years and they have three children: Annabelle (17); Martha (14) and Zebedee (11).
Bishop Martyn said: “James brings a rich experience of parish ministry in a variety of contexts and his background in the hospitality sector will also be a great blessing in this new role. I’m looking forward to working with him and I know he will not only be a great support to me but also to the clergy and lay ministers of the diocese working alongside Ellie Cox and Peter Collett in my office.”
James said: “I am really excited by this new chapter and opportunity in ministry and I look forward to all that is ahead in the purposes of God. I do feel humbled, grateful and privileged to be taking up this new role as Bishop’s Chaplain supporting and serving Bishop Martyn and his ministry, both locally and nationally.
“Naturally, I will tremendously miss the people of St Dionysius and the wider Harborough Anglican Team, who it has been a pleasure to serve over the past four years.
“I‘m really looking forward to sharing in ministry across the wider diocese in the years ahead with new colleagues, churches, chaplaincies, schools and fresh expressions.”
“Aside from ministry, I’m a big sports fan (playing and watching) especially cricket, rugby and golf and am Captain of our diocesan cricket team. My hobbies include wood chopping and woodwork, walking, camping, reading, cooking and I have a huge love for the natural world. I’m also a passionate supporter of a number of charities including Compassion, Christian Aid, The Bible Society, Toilet Twinning & Mind.”