QUALIFIED midwife Rev Andrew Steer has been warmly welcomed by the church community into the world of Gargrave with Coniston Cold and Kirkby in Malhamdale.

Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, licensed him as priest in charge of both benefices at a packed St Andrews Church in Gargrave, which has been without a permanent Vicar for almost a year.

Brought up in Heckmondwike, Dewsbury and Batley, Rev Steer attended Heckmondwike Grammar School and then qualified as a registered nurse before becoming a midwife at Leeds General Infirmary, where he worked in the delivery suite and the home birth team before moving into community midwifery.

He spent some time as a lecturer- practitioner at Leeds University, and was a supervisor of midwives and team leader. Alongside work, he also studied for a BA in accountancy, a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) and took a masters in midwifery.

“I never dreamed, however, that I might end up being a parish priest in such a beautiful place as this,” he said. “I am extremely thankful and excited to be a part of these communities. I look forward to being involved in what God is doing here, and and I’ve always loved the outdoors, walking and cycling.”

He was welcomed by leading community members during the service in Gargrave and Bishop Hartley said his licensing was a very happy occasion.

“There was a really positive atmosphere, lots of good will and people looking forward to getting to know Andrew and Jenny,” she said.

Rev Steer is married to Jenny, a State Registered Nurse and they have two grown up daughters. His varied interests include folk and world music, real ale, cooking, walking, cycling and running, and he used to be a scout leader.

The couple moved from Pudsey to Yeadon, where they were members of St John’s Church, and where Rev Steer says he first thought about a life in ministry.

“It started with the tea rota, then the welcoming and sides persons duties, before we were asked to become churchwardens. As time went on, I became more aware of an unsettling feeling as I watched the priest at communion each week. Was God calling me into this ministry,” he said.

“After lots of searching interviews and a long time trying to discern whether this was a whim, or if indeed it really was God calling me to the priesthood, I was accepted for training for ordination.”

He trained for the church in Cambridge, after which he was posted to Almondbury and Farnley Tyas, Huddersfield, for his curacy, where he has been for the last three years.