Diocese of Guildford


The Diocese of Guildford is a Church of England diocese covering nine of the eleven districts in Surrey, much of north-east Hampshire and a parish in Greater London. The cathedral is Guildford Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Guildford. Of the two provinces of the church, it falls within the Province of Canterbury.

History

The diocese was formed on 1 May 1927 from part of the Diocese of Winchester.

Organisation

Of the eleven secular districts of Surrey, eight fall within the diocese however Spelthorne is part of the Diocese of London, and Tandridge District and the Reigate portion of Reigate and Banstead is contained in the Diocese of Southwark.
A secular district of Hampshire and a small part of a second fall within the diocese: these are Rushmoor and Hart District respectively. Fleet, Church Crookham, Cove, Minley, Blackwater and Ewshot are the main settled parishes in Hart district not in the Diocese of Winchester, part of Rowledge is also in East Hampshire district rather than Surrey. Chessington falls within the diocese in Greater London.

Bishops

The diocesan Bishop of Guildford is assisted by the Bishop suffragan of Dorking. The suffragan see of Dorking was re-created in 1968, having briefly existed in the Diocese of Winchester from 1905 to 1909. The diocese usually operates an informal area scheme in which the diocesan bishop mostly oversees Surrey archdeaconry and the suffragan Dorking, dividing the episcopal workload between the western and eastern parts of the diocese respectively, and each to work with an archdeacon as well as the administrative staff. Alternative episcopal oversight is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, Norman Banks, Bishop suffragan of Richborough, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there.
There are also two former bishops living in the diocese who are licensed as honorary assistant bishops:

Charitable work

Around 90 Church schools are financially linked to the Diocese of Guildford, including two Secondary schools.
The Bishop of Guildford's Foundation supports faith-linked projects and groups that respond to local needs and help build stronger communities. It expresses a sense of communal solidarity with people in need and provides a mechanism for wealthier parishes and church members to channel support to needier groups. Grants are made to a wide variety of causes, including charities working with people who have disabilities, family support projects, youth and children's workers, organisations developing employment for vulnerable people, community organisations, projects for the homeless, school healthy breakfast clubs restricted to the most disadvantaged or troubled families, the Guildford Street Angels team, a less mobile elderly group in Box Hill, and play activities and facilities for children in two of the neediest housing estates.

Special ministries

Typically non-parochial ministry in the working hours of local priests, chaplains are appointed to 14 schools, to 10 further education colleges/universities, 23 hospitals and homes, the four prisons, Guildford and Woking town centres, Community of St Peter and Acorn Christian foundation, to the Ambulance Service. The diocese subsidises a BSL qualified Chaplain Among Deaf People.