Father Lee is set for parish

From the archive, first published Friday 13th Apr 2007.

A FORMER nurse is hoping to forge new links with the community when he takes over as Benfleet parish vicar.

Father Lee Bennett, 36, will be moving with his family from South Yorkshire in July to take up the post at St Mary's Church, Benfleet.

The father-of-two saw off strong competition from three other applicants before being gaining the role.

Fr Bennett said: "It's a great challenge to settle down with the family in a new area and make the Church once again the spiritual centre point of Benfleet.

"I want to fling open the doors to make everyone welcome and establish strong links with the schools and community groups in the parish.

"The church is such a fantastic building and I want to share that sense of history with people."

Before becoming a vicar, Fr Bennett worked in an Ikea store in Warrington before training to become a nurse.

After stints in accident and emergency, he embarked on his ordination training and was ordained a deacon in Wakefield Cathedral.

Fr Bennett then served parishes in Huddersfield and Barnsley as a vicar, before deciding to make the move to the South. He said: "I'm a Lancastrian by birth and it was perhaps a bigger move going to Yorkshire than relocating to the South."

Fr Bennett replaces Fr Michael Galloway who retired from the parish last November after 23 years' service, to live in Somerset.