New Year’s Honours

New Year’s Honours

We are very proud to share that the Rev’d Dr Margaret Joachim, long term member of the staff team at St Peter’s, has made the 2023 New Year’s Honours list for her services to Women in Politics.

Margaret said, "An MBE for services to Women in Politics isn’t the most obvious award for a priest! But I have been working in the political arena since the 1970s, long before I or any women could be ordained. It started with the 300 Group (to get 50% of MPs to be women) and Women Into Public Life, standing in three general elections, and setting up the European Women’s Lobby in 1989. Then, because at that time Anglican clergy couldn’t be MPs, it morphed into 30 years’ back-room work for the Liberal Democrats, two-thirds of whose MPs are now female. Politics can be a harsh, nasty place, and people who work in it need support and ministry just as much as anyone else. And as Desmond Tutu was fond of saying: ‘When people say that the Bible and politics don’t mix, I ask them which Bible they are reading.’”

The Rev'd David Neno, Vicar of St Peter's, said, "What brilliant news. Margaret has worked long and hard to support women in politics, which is not an easy job. It is good to see all her labours recognised in such a wonderful way."

All our good wishes go to Margaret at this very special time.

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