Safeguarding in faith settings, Bishop of Bath&Wells Michael Beasley

The Rt Revd Michael Beasley is the 80th Bishop of Bath and Wells and was installed in Wells Cathedral on 12th November 2022. He grew up in rural Staffordshire and was educated in Stafford before studying biology and epidemiology at Imperial College, London and Oxford University.

Bishop Michael trained for ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham, before being ordained in the Diocese of Lichfield in 1999. For many years he combined Christian ministry with a scientific career. The latter involved working with a research group based in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College that enabled programmes in low income countries designed to improve the health and education of school aged children. In 2015, he became the Bishop of Hertford in the Diocese of St Albans before coming to Bath and Wells.Bishop Michael is ‘married into Somerset’ having lots of in-laws here! He lives in Wells with his wife Lizzie and their two children.

He talks of his great sadness over recent national events and his conviction the churches have to become as safe as they can be. He talks of the recent audit of the Diocese’s safeguarding and his pleasure that all those involved, staff and volunteers as well as the dedicated safeguarding team, having received a positive result–always plenty to continue improving but recognised as serving the diocese well.

He emphasised that the church is an organisation where actions must match the rhetoric and not just look to preserve its reputation.