Our Minister to the Deaf is now fulltime

The Revd Neil Robinson, a profoundly deaf BSL user, has been covering the role in a part time capacity, while also being the Assistant Curate for the Benefice of Bemerton Heath.

On Saturday (5th October) at Salway Ash in Dorset he will be licenced by Bishop Karen to take on the role full time.

The move is being welcomed by the National Church as well as by the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Gill Behenna, Chaplain with the Deaf Community in Bristol and a National Deaf Ministry Adviser for the Archbishops’ Council said:

"The appointment of Rev Neil Robinson is to be welcomed and applauded.

"The Diocese of Salisbury has a long history of work in the Deaf Community, stretching back to the early 1900s but this is the first time that a Deaf person who uses British Sign Language has been appointed as Chaplain in the Diocese.

"Neil joins a very small group of clergy, nationally, who are Deaf, BSL users and I hope that his appointment will encourage more Deaf people to believe that God may be calling them to ministry, whether that is ordained or lay ministry.

"As the National Deaf Ministry Adviser, I look forward to Neil’s future ministry. As the Chaplain with the Deaf Community in Bristol, I look forward to continuing to work with Neil as a colleague."

Neil is happily married to Helen, who is also deaf. Both Neil and Helen are Cochlear Implant users.

He was ordained on 24th June 2016.