The Dean of Southwell has announced plans to retire in September

The Dean of Southwell has announced plans to retire later this year.

After eight years of service, Reverend Nicola Sullivan, the Dean of Southwell, announced that her last day at Southwell Minster will be on September 29.

After her last service, she will take a period of leave as she and her husband Terry, prepare to move and to allow for recovery from scheduled eye surgery in November.

At the service on Sunday (July 7) she said: “It has been a great privilege and honour to serve as Dean. Cathedral ministry is hugely rewarding.

“It is also immensely demanding and requires significant reserves of energy and stamina, and I have come to the conclusion that I no longer have sufficient of these to give the Cathedral and Diocese everything it needs from its Dean.

“In the meantime, I remain thoroughly committed to the Cathedral and my role within it and am looking forward to working with the Minster staff and the Chapter in all there is to do in the next few months.”

On Sunday, September 29, there will be a service of Festal Evensong at the Minster at 3.30pm where the Diocese and Minster congregation will say farewell to Dean Nicola.

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, The Right Reverend Paul Williams, said: “Whilst there will be plenty of opportunities over the coming months to formally mark Nicola’s ministry here among us, I want to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude for her ministry to the Minster as well as to the wider diocese and national church over these past eight years.

“Her prayerful support and wisdom, as well as her pastoral gifting and spiritual encouragement have enriched and blessed the lives of many across our diocese, both within the church and those serving in civic roles in our city and county.”

The process for the appointment of a new dean will be shared in due course. In the meantime, Bishop Paul will be working closely with the senior non-executive member on behalf of the Cathedral Chapter to ensure that additional interim ministry is available to support the cathedral during the vacancy, which will include the appointment of an interim dean.