WHITEHAVEN’S new vicar is looking forward to welcoming parishioners into church and building on the good work already being done.

The Reverend Alison Dobell is the new priest-in-charge at St James’ and St Nicholas’ churches, after moving to Whitehaven from Southampton.

Rev Dobell said she had holidayed in the Lake District with her family last summer and they visited the town to see St James’ Church. Her husband has a keen interest in church architecture and St James’ is named in England's Thousand Best Churches by Simon Jenkins.

Rev Dobell, who was previously chaplain to St John’s in Winchester, said: “We had a look round the church and spoke to Anna, the lay reader. We walked around the town and we just liked it.

“I said if I ever went back to parish ministry, this is the sort of parish I would like. Sometime after, the vacancy was advertised in The Church Times and I said to my husband, Whitehaven is up for grabs. He said I should apply.

“The first thing I had to check is if there was schooling for my son, which there was. I came for my interview and everything fell into place.

“I haven’t been in parish ministry for some time now but it’s nice to be back. It’s very friendly and people have been very helpful.

“There are a lot of good things that the church does already. It’s about building on that. There are some very good people doing some very good things.”

Rev Dobell said she would like to focus on children’s work and encouraging young families to attend church.

She said: “We have got links with the schools and we get a good number of baptisms. It’s looking towards things we can do to engage children and young families to teach them about God.”