AFTER 14 years as parish priest, Father Peter Sharrocks bids farewell to the Parishioners of St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Church on Sunday as he moves nearer to his native Stockport as parish priest at St Peter's, Hazel Grove.

He takes up his new ministry next Friday, September 1.

Fr Sharrocks was ordained in 1975 and served as curate at St Werburgh's Church, Chester, before moving to St Anthony's, Wythenshawe, in 1979.

After two years he volunteered to work in the Diocese of Kisii, in Kenya, where he served for five years. On his return to the Shrewsbury Diocese, he took charge of the Parish of St Theresa, Blacon, before returning to St Werburgh's, as the parish priest, in 1992.

In addition to normal duties, he was instrumental in the refurbishment and reordering of the church building - a highlight of which was Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop of

Westminster, preaching at the Mass of Rededication - and also the upgrading of St Werburgh's Parish Centre.

For a number of years Fr Sharrocks organised the annual diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes.

He was a governor at St Werburgh's and St Columba's Primary School, a past governor of the Catholic High School, a trustee of the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, an active supporter of the ecumenical movement Churches Together and an honorary chaplain at Chester Cathedral.

This coming Sunday Fr Sharrocks will celebrate Mass at 9am and 10.45am.