The next Bishop of Brixworth will be The Venerable Dr Alex Hughes, currently Archdeacon of Cambridge in the Diocese of Ely, Downing Street announced today.
Dr Hughes visited the Diocese of Peterborough on Friday, beginning at Bishop Stopford School in Kettering where students interviewed him about his hopes for the role.
He later met clergy from the Wellingborough and Kettering deaneries before visiting the Nine Bridges Benefice in Peterborough to hear about community engagement in a rural benefice on the edge of the city.
The visit concluded with evensong at Peterborough Cathedral.
The Diocese of Peterborough is the regional presence of the Church of England covering Northamptonshire, Rutland and Peterborough. It is led by the Bishop of Peterborough and supported by the suffragan Bishop of Brixworth, a senior role responsible for supporting ministry and mission across the diocese.
Dr Hughes brings experience from parish ministry, diocesan leadership and episcopal support roles. Ordained in the Diocese of Oxford in 2000, he served in Headington Quarry before becoming Chaplain to the Bishop of Portsmouth.
Between 2008 and 2014 he was parish priest of St Luke’s and St Peter’s in inner-city Portsmouth before becoming Archdeacon of Cambridge in 2014.
Speaking about his appointment, Dr Hughes said he was drawn to “this particular moment in the life of the Diocese of Peterborough” and described it as “a time of change and possibility”.
As Bishop of Brixworth he will oversee several ministry areas, including education, which he described as being “in my DNA”.
He has chaired governing bodies at both primary and secondary schools and spent 12 years as Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education in Ely Diocese.
Bisho.p Debbie welcomed the appointment, saying she looked forward to working closely with him.
Dr Hughes, who is married to psychotherapist Sarah and has two sons, Thomas and Joseph, will be consecrated in July and take up the role in the autumn.
