A vicar now in charge of 18 churches in north Shropshire has confessed she has a tough act to follow in her new role.

The Reverend Charmian Beech was appointed as rural dean of Hodnet, which includes churches in Market Drayton, Adderley, Hinstock and Norton in Hales, by the Bishop of Shrewsbury, the Right Reverend Mark Ryland, in September and praised her predecessor in the role.

Reverend Jeremy Stagg held the rural dean post for five years before retiring at the end of August.

“Jeremy did a lot of good work as rural dean over the last five years and he left a positive legacy,” Rev Beech said.

“The Bishop of Shrewsbury asked me if I wanted to succeed him and I had mixed feelings about it,” she continued.

“I was very honoured to be considered because I think it’s a very important role, but also overawed about the time it would take up and whether I could fulfil the role and the responsibility.

She added: “This is a role about communicating the needs and wishes of parish priests up to the Bishop of Shrewsbury.

“It’s also about helping priests to understand the policy of Lichfield Diocese and interpreting it on behalf of the Bishop”

Rev Beech worked in the NHS as a hospital manager for 37 years before being ordained as a Church of England priest in 2001.

She has been vicar of Hodnet, Peplow and Weston under Redcastle for seven years.

She is also safeguarding officer for Lichfield Diocese, ensuring children, ex-offenders and other vulnerable adults are catered for by churches.

“If anyone would have said that being a vicar is my heart’s desire, I would have laughed at them,” Rev Beech said.

“But I became aware over several years that God was encouraging me to do something more in the church and it didn’t go away.

“Now, I think it’s the best job in the world.”

John Naylor, lay chairman of Hodnet Deanery, said: “In choosing a new Rural Dean of Hodnet, consultations took place between Bishops, the clergy and lay officers of the Deanery Synod.

“In the light of these consultations, Charmian Beech was chosen to be our Rural Dean.”