Bishop James has welcomed the appointment of the new Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Lady Bella Colgrain.
The Lord-Lieutenant is HM The Queen’s personal representative in the county, and is appointed by The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister of the day.
In a statement he says:
"I am delighted to know that Lady Colgrain is to be the next Lord Lieutenant of Kent. Viscount De L’Isle has served with distinction in this role since 2011.
"In addition to the formal duties associated with the role, Lord De L’Isle has focussed particularly on fostering and celebrating voluntary activity within the county.
"The interest shown by him and the Viscountess in a range of organisations has been hugely appreciated. More personally, Bridget and I have been pleased to enjoy the friendship and hospitality of Lord and Lady De L’Isle on a number of occasions.
"I am sure that Lady Bella Colgrain’s wide and long experience of the voluntary sector will shape and inform the way in which she exercises the role of Lord Lieutenant.
"Her work with CAB and the Henry Smith Charity mean that she has particular insights into our society and some of the challenges facing people in our communities.
"Her chairing of the Kent Community Foundation means that she comes to the role with a wide knowledge of the varied communities across the county.
"I was very pleased to work closely with Lady Bella when she chaired the panel to appoint the current Dean of Rochester Cathedral, and much look forward to doing so as she takes up the role of Lord Lieutenant."