The Revd Canon Sally Theakston serves as Chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich and as Norfolk County Chaplain for the Royal British Legion.
As Bishop’s Chaplain, Sally supports Bishop Graham in his ministry through prayer, pastoral care, research, and administration assisting him in preparing for services, meetings, and events. In September 2025, she accompanied him and other Norfolk pilgrims on a visit furthering the link between the Diocese of Norwich and the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea.
Sally made history in 1996 as the first female Church of England Chaplain to serve in the UK Armed Forces when she joined the Royal Navy. After moving to Norfolk in 2002 to become Rector of Gaywood, her military background naturally led to her involvement with the Royal British Legion.
Reflecting on her ministry, Canon Sally says:
“Serving as a Chaplain in two very different contexts offers many opportunities to come alongside people. As Bishop’s Chaplain, I might be writing a bespoke prayer for the dedication of a new air ambulance or listening to a phone call from someone in distress. As RBL Chaplain, I could be dedicating a Branch Standard or visiting a veteran who is dying and wants to talk about concerns from the past. Chaplaincy has enabled me to bring together so many threads from my thirty-six years of ordained ministry.”