Press release

Suffragan See of Bedford

Queen approves nomination of the Venerable Richard William Bryant Atkinson, OBE, MA as Suffragan See of Bedford.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Richard William Bryant Atkinson, OBE, MA, Archdeacon of Leicester, in the Diocese of Leicester, to the Suffragan See of Bedford, in the Diocese of St Albans, in succession to the Right Reverend Richard Neil Inwood, BSc, MA, on his resignation on the 31 March 2012. 

Notes for Editors 

The Venerable Richard Atkinson (aged 53), studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge, and then trained for the ordained ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon. He also holds an MA from Birmingham University. He served his first curacy at Abingdon with Shippon, in Oxford Diocese from 1984 to 1987. From 1987 to 1991 he was a Team Vicar in Sheffield Manor and from 1991 to 1996 the Team Rector. From 1987 to 1992 he was Honorary Tutor at Ripon College, Cuddesdon. From 1996 to 2002 he was Vicar of Rotherham in Sheffield Diocese, and from 1998 to 2002 Honorary Canon at Sheffield Cathedral. Since 2002 he has been Archdeacon of Leicester. He has been a member of the General Synod since 1991 and from 2001 to 2008 was a Church Commissioner.

Richard Atkinson currently chairs the St Philip’s Centre for Study and Engagement in a Multi Faith Society. He has previously been Deputy Chair of a major Housing Association, Chair of the Braunstone New Deal for Communities programme which he led from impending failure to award winning success, and a member of the Carnegie Trust UK Commission on the Future of Civil Society. In 2002 he was awarded an OBE for ‘services to the unemployed in Rotherham’.

Richard Atkinson is married to Helen who is a Professor of Engineering at Leicester University. They have three grown-up children.    

His interests include the church and public life, the worldwide church, cooking, theatre, and the Archers.

Published 1 March 2012