Ian was born and brought up in Devizes in Wiltshire. After his first degree at Portsmouth Polytechnic, he qualified as a Chartered Surveyor and worked for Croydon Council and BAA.

He came to a living faith in Christ at University and quickly felt a call to ordained ministry. He trained at Oak Hill College and was ordained Deacon in Southwark Cathedral in 1991.

During his MA in Theology and Ministry from Durham University, he wrote his dissertation on the spiritual fruit of self control (Gal 5:23) with a specific focus on clergy adultery. This has given Ian a particular interest in the way the Church cares for divorced clergy spouses.

Ian served his curacy at Christ Church, Purley after which he became Priest in Charge of seven Norfolk village Churches in the Tas Valley, before moving to Chester Diocese in 2001 to become Rector of Middlewich and Byley and later also Rural Dean of Middlewich. In 2011 he was appointed Archdeacon of Macclesfield where he has led on projects around Race and Diversity and the Environment, as well as chairing Transforming Lives Together, a charity formed to tackle poverty in Cheshire.

Ian has been married to Sue for 36 years. Sue has thirty years experience in the charity sector and until moving to Norfolk has been Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Crewe YMCA. Sue is a qualified Life Coach and, in moving to Norfolk, is going freelance to support individuals through transformative journeys. Sue and Ian have three sons, Joe (a GP), Dan (ordained this year) and Will (an Actor/Writer) and two daughters in law, Anna (Teacher in Modern Foreign Languages) and Rachel (Registrar in Geriatric Medicine).

Ian and Sue have shared passions for the theatre and their motorhome.

Ian has stated he wants to be seen as pastoral and missional as he embarks on his new calling as Bishop of Thetford.  He was ordained as Bishop at Westminster Abbey on the 29 September.

Contact details

PA: Graham Cossey  tenunz.pbffrl@qvbprfrbsabejvpu.bet
Tel: 01953 528010
Post: Herfast House, 5 Vicar Street, Wymondham, NR18 0PL