"A privilege and a joyful duty"

Bishop Nicholas was invited to a meeting of the Salisbury Area Board on Thursday 4th March where he was welcomed by the Chairman, Cllr Atiqul Hoque, who thanked him for his service to the city since 2011.

Bishop Nicholas, who announced he will retire in July 2021, said:

“There have been a number of highlights including the Queen’s visit for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta in 2015 and the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Cathedral in 2020.”

But he added that some other things that Salisbury had faced during his episcopal oversight had been very challenging:

“The Novichok poisonings, the third anniversary of which was that day, and the pandemic have been very much more difficult, but they were the occasions when the character of Salisbury was tested and shone through. Salisbury is a city with strong relationships between organisations and individuals. The city has strength of character, ability and determination.”

The Bishop also said that coming out of lockdown will have its own challenges, suggesting that in looking to the future, the Area Board will need to work with “the grain of the city” which was founded around the Cathedral.

“To be human is to be religious, or at least to address the issues of life’s meaning and purpose at the heart of religious faith and practice. The Cathedral is still the major building and iconic image of Salisbury. The city must work with it in its recovery.”

The Bishop commented on the good relationships and positive attitude to faith within the city. He said how much he valued a visit to the Moslem Association in Wilton Road and Cllr Atiqul Hoque’s involvement in the life of the city.

And the Bishop, who has been the Church of England’s lead on the Environment said:

“Building back better after the pandemic will be a great opportunity to address the issues of climate change and environmental sustainability.

“The opportunities of Salisbury as a Transition city are considerable. The Cathedral’s new solar panels and some of our schools depended on innovative collaborative finance. The Bishop said that he hoped it would be possible for the city to make use of the opportunities of micro-hydro provided by the rivers and the mills.”

The Bishop thanked those who have served as councillors and all those present in the meeting for their contributions to the life of Salisbury.

John Glen MP thanked the Bishop for his contribution. He said he had enjoyed getting to know and working with the Bishop and Helen, his wife, and wished them both well in their retirement.