[Church in Wales] Wales is to have a new Archbishop - Guide Rhian Hartshorn, 12 is to step into the Archbishop of Wales's shoes for a day in aid of the BBC Children in Need appeal. In turn, Most Rev Dr Rowan Williams, is to take her place at Oakdale Comprehensive School for the day and will follow her time-table.
During the school assembly on 16th November, the Archbishop will hand over the cross he wears around his neck to Rhian Hartshorn. Rhian in turn will hand the Archbishop a copy of her school time-table for the day. Rhian, accompanied by her 'Chaplain' Emily Bradford-Bolwell, will then follow the Archbishop's diary for the day. After leaving Oakdale Comprehensive, she will go to St Woolos Cathedral in Newport to be 'enthroned' before arriving at the Archbishop's office in Newport to chair a meeting of the rural deans of the diocese of Monmouth.
Later in the morning, she will go to the Church in Wales' office in Cathedral Road Cardiff to meet her staff. Her next engagement will be an inter-episcopal meeting and lunch with 'fellow' bishop Rt Rev Dr Barry Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff. After a visit to the Cathedral in Llandaff she will return to Oakdale to hand the Archepiscopacy back to Rowan Williams by the end of the school day at 3pm.
Archbishop Rowan will in turn, be following Rhian's time-table, with a French lesson being his first port of call. We regret to say however, that the Archbishop is already threatening to bring a note from home, asking to be excused from netball practice!
Rhian was elected as new Archbishop during an 'electoral college' held on 7th October at St David's Church in Oakdale. The congregation were encouraged to 'buy' votes for the candidate of their choice and Rhian came top of the poll. Already, between them Rhian and Archbishop Rowan have raised over a £1,000 for the BBC Children in Need appeal.
Commenting today, Ian Jones, Headmaster of Oakdale Comprehensive School said:
"We are looking forward to having the Archbishop join our school roll for the day on 16th November. I am sure that it will be an interesting experience for him and an opportunity for him to see at first hand the kinds of values - educational and otherwise - which we try to instil in our pupils as we prepare them for adult life."
Mr Jones went on, saying:
"We will be trying to make that experience as authentic as possible for the Archbishop. It will also be great for Rhian to have the experience of being Archbishop for the day. Who knows where that may lead her in her future life!"
Julia Pye, the Guide leader who first came up with the idea of the 'job swap' in aid of the BBC Children in Need appeal also said:
"When I first came up with this slightly mad idea, I wondered what the response would be from both Oakdale Comprehensive School and Archbishop Rowan. However, when I discussed this possibility with them, they responded very positively. This is a golden opportunity for Rhian to have a unique insight for someone of her age into the work of an archbishop. It'll also be good for the Archbishop to have the experience once again of spending a day as a 'pupil' in a comprehensive school and we also hope of course, that the venture will raise lots of cash for the BBC Children in Need appeal."
Looking ahead to November 16th, Archbishop Rowan Williams said :
"I'm looking forward to Children in Need day with both eager anticipation and some trepidation - being the 'new boy' is always slightly difficult. However I'm sure this opportunity will give me the chance to see at first hand the kinds of things which school pupils - and teachers - experience on a daily basis. I hope that Rhian will also find the experience of being Archbishop for the day, fun. We also hope of course that we'll be able to present the BBC Children in Need appeal with a substantial amount of cash."