THE Revd Canon Matt Thompson, currently Vicar of Bolton in the Diocese of Manchester, will be the new Dean of Birmingham, it has been announced.

Originally from the West Midlands, he will officially take up the new role in September after 23 years in the Diocese of Manchester.

On leaving Bolton, he said: “It has been a real joy being in Bolton. It has always been a warm and friendly place and we have achieved many good things here.

“I will be sad to leave and I want to thank everybody for their support over the years.”

Throughout his ministry, Revd Thompson has been deeply involved in schools, urban regeneration, inter-faith and community cohesion and said that the opportunity to go back home was too hard to turn down.

He said: "It is hard to leave of my friends and colleagues after so long. However, the opportunity to return to the West Midlands is a very exciting one and my family and I are really looking forward to our move to Birmingham.

‘‘I am very honoured and delighted to be become the next Dean of Birmingham and to serve the Cathedral and the communities of the Diocese of Birmingham.

“I am looking forward to leading a wonderful team at the Cathedral and to joining the cathedral community and I am very drawn by the desire of everyone at St Philip’s to reach out to the parish, city and diocese they seek to serve.

“I am very fortunate to be following in the footsteps of my predecessor Dean Catherine Ogle and I hope to build on her excellent work in building partnerships across the city and the diocese.”

The Bishop of Manchester, The Rt Revd Dr David Walker, said: "It's a delight to see Matt moving on to this position.

"In his time at Bolton Parish Church we have benefited from his exceptional abilities as the senior leader of a major urban church.

"Both the Church in Birmingham and the wider civil society of the city and diocese will gain hugely from his warmth and wisdom."

Cllr John Walsh of Astley Bridge ward, said: “I am delighted for Matt and happy that he has got such an important post.

“I am sure that he will be suited to this new role and I am sure that he will do very well.

“He has performed his civic duty in this area and I know that he will do the same elsewhere.

“He will be a great loss and it will be an enormous task to try and replace him. I want to wish him all the best in the future.”