• Sun. Dec 8th, 2024

North East Connected

Hopping Across The North East From Hub To Hub

Pioneering woman Bishop honoured

The University of Sunderland has honoured one of the country’s leading clerics – who has her roots firmly in the North East, and particularly Sunderland.

The Right Reverend Helen-Ann Hartley was born in Edinburgh in 1973, just weeks after Sunderland beat Leeds to win the FA Cup – and the link to Sunderland and Leeds continued. She is now Bishop of Ripon in the Diocese of Leeds, and when she was aged two Helen-Ann moved to Sunderland.

She studied at Benedict Biscop Church of England Primary School, and St Anthony’s Roman Catholic girls School, both in Sunderland – and, she says, it is the city that shaped her.

After a stint at Oxford and then Waikato in New Zealand, Helen-Ann was ordinated in 2005, and is currently Bishop of Ripon.

Bishop Harley said: “To come back here to Sunderland today genuinely feels like coming home, almost like coming full circle. It was a delight to be honoured in this way. When I was asked I couldn’t stop smiling.”

Bishop Hartley has been in post at Ripon since February last year.

She added: “It’s a big job but I’m absolutely loving it. It’s wonderful to be back in the North again.”

The Right Reverend Helen-Ann Hartley was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Education for her work promoting diversity, and her academic success as a theologian.