Church
Rt Revd Tim Stevens
You will probably have seen his name many times in connection with The Children’s
Society – he is, after all, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. But who is the man
behind the title? We interview the Rt Revd Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester.
The Right
There’s an old saying that if you End of London,’ he says ‘but they
Reverend
want a job doing well, then ask a didn’t have the traditional East End
Tim Stevens,
busy man to do it. There’s probably family infrastructures. There were
Bishop of
another saying about how men who a lot of young families, a lot of
Leicester
“do it” don’t show how busy they dysfunctional families and a lot
are. They have a calmness that of social problems. Our churches
• Raised in a rural belies the hectic lives they lead. The decided to open a family centre
vicarage in Essex
Right Reverend Tim Stevens is one in partnership with local social
such man. services and The Children’s Society
• Educated at
Chigwell School
was asked to come in and run it.
He sits in the Bishop’s Office in a It was a great success.’
• Worked in Zambia residential suburb, not far from the
for Voluntary
centre of Leicester. He is chatting He is obviously very keen on the
Service Overseas
amiably, in measured, considered Church’s involvement in social
• Read Classics and
tones, about life as a modern justice and believes that his
English at Selwyn
Bishop, about his role as Chairman own direct involvement in social
College, Cambridge of The Children’s Society and about work opened his eyes to the
the diocese that he has been vulnerability of children living in
• Management
heading up for nearly seven years. a world where adults make all the
trainee (five years)
with the British
decisions. ‘It is one of the strengths
Overseas Airways
‘Leicester is very multicultural,’ he of The Children’s Society, that we
Corporation says, ‘with a large proportion of help people see things from ‘I am one of the voices of
ethnic Indian people.’ He is president a child’s perspective,’ he says. The Children’s Society. I represent
• Two years with
of Leicester’s Council of Faiths and the organisation in the media
Foreign Office,
South Asian
believes that it’s important to try People want a clear and that’s important because it
Department
and develop a partnership between
message about what
demonstrates that there is still a
the police, local government and strong link between The Children’s
• Trained for
communities to build a multicultural
makes for a good
Society and the Church of England.’
ordination at
society that works.
Rippon Hall,
childhood today.
Oxford
He says that the second role of the
The subject of interfaith relations is This ethos is reflected in his work chairman is to support the chief
• 1976 ordained as typical of the interests that he in the House of Lords, where executive. ‘I often meet with Bob
Curate, East Ham,
chooses to talk about. Most are he took his seat after he was Reitemeier,’ he says. ‘I try to be a
London
linked to social and welfare issues in appointed Bishop of Leicester in listening friend – sometimes a
• Team Rector,
some way. This is not surprising, June 1999. ‘I try and get down to critical friend. I think all chief
Canvey Island
given his early appointments in the the House two or three times a executives need that. It can be a
Church of England. month,’ he says. ‘Recently we’ve lonely job sometimes.’
• Bishop’s Urban
been debating the Welfare Reform
Officer, Chelmsford
After Cambridge and a spell in the Bill, which looks at employment And finally, Bishop Tim sees that
Diocese
Foreign Office, the bishop-to-be support allowances and housing trustee meetings are well run and
• Archdeacon,
was ordained as a curate in East benefit. It’s important that effective. ‘We have some very
West Ham, London Ham, East London. He later worked someone speaks up for how skilled people on the board and it is
as Team Rector of Canvey Island children are affected when important to make sure that we
• Suffragan Bishop
and developed a close interest in benefits are reduced.’ utilise their talents to the full.’
of Dunwich, Suffolk
the provision of social services. It
• 1999 Appointed
was here that he first came into Bishop Tim was invited to become So what are the issues facing
Bishop of Leicester contact with The Children’s Society. a trustee of The Children’s Society The Children’s Society?
five years ago and became ‘I think our relationship with the
‘Many of the people living in Chairman of the Board of Church is important and needs
Canvey island were from the East Trustees three years later. promoting,’ he says. ‘There have
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