The Rt Revd Rob Wickham, the Bishop of Edmonton, has today been appointed the new Group Chief Executive of Church Urban Fund (CUF). He will take up the role of CEO on 10 July 2023.
There are announcements on the London diocesan website and the CUF website.
There was another Bishop Wickham whose interests were very much ‘urban’, Edward Ralph Wickham (1911-1994), Bishop Suffragan of Middleton from 1959 to 1982. In 1957 he published ‘Church and People in an Industrial City’ (Lutterworth Press). I think that in the time of Archbishop Fisher there was interest in a ‘Bishop for Industry’, rather like the ‘Bishop to the Forces’.
I remember Ted Wickham, he was well thought of in my day and regarded as the “catholic” Bishop in Manchester. Had a lot to say regarding “Faith in the City”
Thank you. Ted Wickham’s interests and activity went beyond the contours of his suffragan bishopric.
This is an excellent appointment. Rob Wickham is an outstanding bishop whose urban ministry has been significant in lots of ways; I might single out his work in the public square, in such areas as knife crime. He is well equipped to run a diocese (and still might) but in the current climate who would want to? CUF wins out and Edmonton loses for the time being. Every good wish.