School’s out as curate Anne joins family in church service
ANNE Gilbert was keeping it in the family when she ended a 29-year teaching career to take up a full-time role in the ministry of the Church of England.
Aged 51, the recentlyordained Rev Anne Gilbert left Hathershaw College, Oldham, at the end of the summer term to begin her new life as a curate in the benefice of Dearnley, Smallbridge and Wardle.
Her first service was a 9.30am Sung Eucharist at St Andrew’s, Dearnley on Sunday which was attended by her proud father, the Rev Fred Gilbert, who was ordained 60 years ago and spent part of his ministry at another Rochdale church, St Aidan’s, Sudden.
Anne’s brother is the Rev Canon Mark Gilbert of Chichester, while her nephew, the Rev Sean Gilbert, is coming to the end of a curacy in St Leonard’s-on-Sea.
“It’s certainly a family affair,” said Anne, who was a teacher at Hathershaw in Oldham for 25 years, specialising in religious education, before accepting her calling to serve God.
Before arriving in Oldham her early teaching posts were in Brecon in South Wales and Uckfield in East Sussex.
She added: “It was a huge decision, but to say ●●The Rev Anne Gilbert (second left) after being appointed curate at the benefice of Dearnley, Wardle and Smallbridge with her new boss, the Rev Rachel Battershell and representatives from Wardle Village Church and St Andrew’s. I’m excited about what lies ahead is an understatement.
“As for my dad, well, he’s absolutely thrilled and so proud.
“He’s been wanting me to do this for years.
“Having said all that, it will seem weird not to be going in to Hathershaw on the first day of the new term.
“I’ve been there a long time.
“It was tough saying goodbye to everybody.”
She has moved home from Grains Road, Shaw, to Smallbridge where she will be working under the guidance of the Rev Rachel Battershell, incumbent at St Andrew’s, Dearnley and alongside two Lay Readers, Wendy Foote and Geoff Hurst.
Geoff has returned to St Andrew’s after working for more than two years in the benefice of Littleborough.
“I enjoyed my time in Littleborough, but to be back at St Andrew’s is like coming home; it’s where the heart is,” he said.
The Mothers’ Union had an open meeting on Monday at which Peter Shrigley, a church officer, spoke about life behind the scenes in the Health Service.
He spent a lifetime in the NHS, retiring several years ago as chief executive of Oldham NHS Trust.