BLACKBURN Diocese has officially moved its main base of operations out of the town centre.

Most staff working for the Church of England in Lancashire have been relocated to a new building on the Walker Business Park adjacent to junction 5 of the M65.

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The new offices will be occupied by most of the staff working for the Diocesan Board of Education, which supports all of the church schools in Lancashire, and the Diocesan Board of Finance, which provides a variety of administrative and support services to parishes across Lancashire.

They also host staff from Cidari, the diocesan multi-academy trust, while DBE Services, which provides maintenance support for schools in Lancashire, is expected to move into the new building in the coming months.

Staff with location-specific roles, such as those who work at Whalley Abbey, the Diocesan retreat and conference centre, have not been affected by the move.

Diocesan secretary Graeme Pollard said: “The diocesan offices at Church House, adjacent to the cathedral in the centre of Blackburn, were no longer fit for modern working practices.

“We wanted to ensure we had a new location where everyone could be housed appropriately and where we could also work more closely together for the benefit of the diocese as a whole. We are delighted with our new home.”

Bishop of Blackburn Julian Henderson said: “Having a fit-for-purpose base for all our hardworking staff is important so that we can effectively support our parishes and schools as we all work together to grow God’s kingdom in the coming decade.”