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Valerie's new role
VALERIE Radford was among 13 people to be licensed by the Archbishop of York as lay minister in a ceremony at York Minster.
Valerie, 67, of Wharfedale Drive, Bridlington, who is blind, was accompanied at the ceremony by her three-year-old Labrador cross guide dog Bertie. She said as a Christian it was a moving experience being in York Minster and part of a larger group.
Before she retired Mrs Radford worked as a trainer on disabilities issues, as an aromatherapist, and as a fundraiser for the RNIB and Guide Dogs. She said, "I studied theology when I was younger, but never did anything further with my studies. Throughout my life, three different vicars have asked me if I'd ever thought about being a Reader – when the third one asked, I thought I'd better do something about it. I made a commitment to follow God when I was a teenager, and being licensed today shows you're never too old to serve God."
She will now take a greater part in services at St Nicholas church in Hornsea where she has worshipped for two years and gradually taken a helper role.
Her studies to become a reader started at Emannuel Church in Cardigan Road. Thanks to a theology degree she took at the London Bible College , now the London School of Theology, she did not have to undertake the whole of what is normally a three year course.
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Weather for Bridlington
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
