Diocese of Portsmouth

News Stories


  • Kind residents donate Easter eggs for families in need

    Kind worshippers, businesses and community groups have donated 750 Easter eggs to help families who are in need. The chocolate eggs will be handed out to parents who might not otherwise be able to afford to buy them for their children. The appeal was co-ordinated by St Mary’s Church in Fratton, who handed over the eggs this week to staff from the Roberts Centre in Landport to distribute. Read more

  • Mosaic cross dedicated in churchyard

    Worshippers have dedicated a Celtic mosaic cross in the churchyard at St Mary’s, Brighstone, on the Isle of Wight. A team of people used wood and coloured glass to create the impressive cross, which now stands alongside a path used as a thoroughfare by people in the village. It was created by a team that included those from the church and local community, and was dedicated on Palm Sunday. One part of the cross was inspired by David Attenborough’s Wild Isles documentaries. Read more

  • Helping your church reach net zero carbon

    We have the great honour of caring for some truly beautiful buildings and churchyards, which have been the hearts of their communities for generations, centuries or even a millennium. Read more

  • Making the recruitment process easy

    We’ve created a new Vacancy Pack to walk churchwardens and PCCs through the process of creating their profile and advert, clarifying their mission and vision, and identifying the desired characteristics of their potential incumbent, and our recruitment process has recently undergone a review with the focus on enabling parishes to share their story well and find the right candidate. Read more

  • Bishop helps to open new island school

    Bishop Jonathan helped to officially open the new Freshwater and Yarmouth C of E Primary School. The £4.5m building was created as a purpose-built school for pupils from across West Wight. The official opening included an act of collective worship led by pupils throughout the school. Read more

  • New interim team rector for Newport and Carisbrooke

    Bishop Jonathan has appointed Canon Sarah Chapman as the interim team rector for Newport and Carisbrooke with Gatcombe on the Isle of Wight. She’s an experienced priest who is coming out of retirement to lead this parish for between six and 18 months, until a permanent team rector is appointed. She’ll be licensed on April 4 at St John’s, Newport. Read more

  • Refugees preparing to welcome hosts to Ukraine

    Mother and daughter Olha and Dasha came to the UK as part of our diocese’s scheme for Ukrainian refugees. They fled after the Russian invasion last year, and have been making a new life in Southsea. They’d love to welcome their hosts, Judy and Andrew Walker, to visit them back in Ukraine, once the war is over. Read more

  • Bishop blesses newly-planted fig tree at nursing home

    The Home of Comfort Nursing Home in Southsea was visited by Rt Rev Dr Jonathan Frost, Bishop of Portsmouth, who planted and blessed a fig tree donated by Hampshire Tree and Garden, replacing another tree that was causing problems. Despite the cold weather, several residents and their families attended the ceremony, which concluded with the bishop sprinkling holy water on the tree and leading everyone in prayers. Read more

  • Toddler group helps towards achieving Eco Church award

    St George’s Church, Waterlooville, is working towards an Eco Church bronze award and has made its grounds more bird-friendly. The church’s Eco Church Group and Toddler group collaborated to put up four bird boxes and six bug hotels. Read more

  • New Archdeacon of the Meon appointed

    Bishop Jonathan has appointed Canon Kathryn Percival to be the new Archdeacon of the Meon, it was announced today. Kathryn, who is Canon Chancellor and Vice Dean at our cathedral, will be responsible for supporting the ministry of parishes in the Gosport, Fareham, Bishop’s Waltham and Petersfield deaneries. Read more

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