The Revd Canon Richard Hancock. TSSF
Rector of Spire Hill Benefice and Rural Mission Enabler.
Richard is married to Kate who is a teacher at Semley CofE School , near Shaftsbury. They have two boys, Alex 23, who recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music and is beginning his career in Musical Theatre, and Ben 20, having changed his career as a chef, he is now studying for a BA in Drama at UWE Bristol.
Prior to his ordination in 1997 Richard studied Photography at Berkshire College of Art and Design and then worked as a Freelance Professional Photographer. He lived in the Taizé Community in France while testing his vocation, then spent two years as a Full-Time Youth and Children’s Officer in the Riverside Team Ministry in the Oxford Diocese. He trained for ministry at both Lincoln Theological College, then after its closure at Westcott House, Cambridge. He served his curacy in the urban parish of St Peter’s Didcot, but rural ministry has always been his passion. After his curacy he become Vicar of the Shrivenham & Ashbury Benefice in Southwest Oxfordshire, consisting of seven rural parishes where he served for eighteen years. He also served as an Officiating Chaplain to the Military [OCM] at the Defence Academy Shrivenham. In the past three years Richard has been Priest in Charge of the Handley Benefice and Rural Field Officer for Dorset working as part of the Rural Hope Team a four-year Salisbury Diocesan project sponsored by the national church.
Within the Oxford Diocese he has served as Rural Dean of the Vale of the White Horse Deanery, has been a member of the Board of Mission and one of the Diocesan Missions Team. He has also been a pioneer in developing Prayer Space projects in rural schools and an advisor on the Rural Education Advisory Group as well as a director of one of the first Multi Academy Trusts in the country. Richard brings over 20 years of experience as a Country Parson and is passionate about developing rural community life. In 2012 he was made an Honorary Canon of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford and more recently has been made a Canon Emeritus. Richard is also a life professed member of the Third Order of the Society of St Francis TSSF.
His hobbies include photography, attending eccentric vintage events, cooking, and he is a fan of real Ale. Recently Richard has qualified as a Scout Leader and has been part of 1st Woodcutts, based in Handley. He’s a self-confessed petrol head attending track days in his Caterham 7 and has achieved a 9.46 second lap time around the Nürburgring, though recently he has swapped his Caterham for a more sedate MX5, which Kate enjoys.
Richard has a passion for life, people and God’s Mission and is looking forward to taking up this new challenge and working alongside people as the new Rector of Spire Hill Benefice and Rural Mission Enabler, helping to build the rural church and community life.