The Very Reverend Michael Perham is to become the new Bishop of Gloucester, the Church of England has announced.

Currently Dean of Derby, the 56-year-old succeeds the Right Reverend David Bentley, who announced his retirement last year.

The father of four will be consecrated and enthroned during the late spring or early summer.

The new bishop has been at Derby Cathedral since 1998, first as provost and then as dean.

He is also a member of the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England and chairman of the Business Committee of the General Synod.

Speaking after his appointment was announced, he said: 'It is difficult to avoid a cliche, but it is a huge privilege - if a slightly daunting one - to stand before you as the next Bishop of Gloucester.'

He added: 'As bishop I shall want to make as strong as possible the links between church and community and to do everything in my power to serve, not only the Anglican Christians of Gloucester and Gloucestershire, whose chief pastor I am to become, but all the people of the city and the county willing to accept me as a partner in working for the common good.

'I have a lot to learn about Gloucestershire and a lot to learn about being a bishop. I will try to learn these lessons speedily and well.'

Before moving to Derby, the dean was a curate at Addington in the London Borough of Croydon (1976-81), chaplain to the Bishop of Winchester (1981-84), team rector of a large modern housing area at Oakdale, Poole (1984-92), and Precentor and Canon Residentiary of Norwich Cathedral (1992-98).

His wife, Alison, is a palliative medicine specialist based at St Giles' Hospice near Lichfield. They have four teenage daughters - Rachel, 19, Anna, 18, Sarah, 16, and Mary, 13.

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